India drops terror charges against seven foreign nationals arrested in March

September 14, 2026 at 06:33 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

India has charged seven foreign nationals, including an American and six Ukrainians, under the Immigration and Foreigners Act instead of the anti-terrorism UAPA. The seven were arrested in March for alleged drone warfare training with Myanmar ethnic armed organizations. The move has triggered speculation of U.S. diplomatic pressure.

Key Facts

The seven foreign nationals were charged under sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act for illegal entry and visa violations.
The National Investigation Agency alleged the seven went to Mizoram without permits and crossed into Myanmar to train ethnic armed organizations in drone warfare and jamming technology.
The NIA said its probe into UAPA offences against the seven is continuing.
Under the UAPA, the NIA must complete its probe within 180 days, during which the accused remains in custody.
The opposition Congress party criticized the BJP-led government for bowing to American pressure.

Charges Reduced

U.S. national Matthew Aaron Van Dyke and Ukrainian nationals Hurba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim, and Kaminskyi Viktor were arrested in March from different parts of India. They were initially charged under section 18 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, which deals with conspiracy for terrorist activities and organizing terror camps. The seven have now been charged under sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act for illegal entry and violations of visa conditions. Government sources quoted in the media said the NIA booked the foreign nationals under the Immigration and Foreigners Act because charges under this law had already been established during the investigation.

Allegations and Investigation

The NIA alleged that the seven foreign nationals went to Mizoram without the requisite permit and then crossed the border into Myanmar. In Myanmar, they allegedly held training sessions for ethnic armed organizations in drone warfare and jamming technology. The agency claimed that their trip to India's Northeast and then to Myanmar was part of a larger conspiracy involving a few Indian insurgent groups active in the region. The NIA clarified that the probe into offences under the UAPA is continuing against all seven foreign nationals.

Political Reaction

The dropping of terror charges has triggered speculation that the Indian government was under severe pressure from the U.S. government to release them. Van Dyke's family had reportedly made a case before the U.S. government to intervene diplomatically to secure his release from prison. The opposition Congress party slammed the BJP-led government for bowing to American pressure.