Our Bureau
New Delhi
India has arrested six Ukrainian nationals and one US citizen over an alleged terror‑related conspiracy, triggering a formal diplomatic protest from Ukraine. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and took the seven people into custody for 11 days to question them and probe their possible links to insurgent groups.
According to official sources, the foreigners entered India on valid visas but then travelled to Mizoram in the northeast without the required Restricted Area Permit. The NIA suspects some of them may have ties to ethnic militant groups in Myanmar and could have been involved in training or logistics for drone‑based attacks. The agency also wants to check digital devices and messages to trace any wider network.
The seven accused were picked up at airports in Delhi, Lucknow and Kolkata in a series of coordinated operations. The US national was detained at Kolkata airport, while three Ukrainians were taken at each of the other two airports. A special NIA court in Delhi granted the agency custody for 11 days after the initial three‑day term, allowing investigators more time to study evidence and identify possible associates.
Ukraine has lodged a formal protest with the Indian government, demanding regular consular access to its detained citizens. It has asked for “unimpeded” contact so that Ukrainian officials can meet them and check on their legal and medical condition. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has said it will share the case details with Ukraine inside the framework of bilateral agreements, while stressing that national security concerns are being handled through normal legal channels.
