India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, on Thursday said the 2023 arson attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco was a “very serious matter” and called for accountability from the United States. He made the remarks at a press conference in Washington DC, where he spoke about India’s strong position on the incident and its aftermath.
#WATCH | Washington DC | EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, “…The attack on our consulate in San Francisco is a very serious matter and it is something for which we expect accountability. We would like to see that people who did it are held responsible.” pic.twitter.com/qmsV3b7Nu4
— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2025
Attack on the Indian Consulate
The attack took place on March 19, 2023, when attackers tried to set fire to the Consulate General of India in San Francisco by sprinkling inflammable substances on the building early in the morning. They later continued committing criminal trespass, damaging government property, and attacking officials from the consulate. The attack got worse as pro-Khalistani protesters, allegedly the suspects, gathered outside the consulate, shouting slogans and harassing the consulate staff when they were leaving the premises.
A video of the attack, which emerged on social media, shows the attackers protesting in front of the consulate. This is further evidence of how serious the incident was. Within three months after the first attempt, another arson attempt on the consulate was reported in July 2023, prompting authorities to conduct investigations.
US Condemns the Attack
The United States condemned the attack, terming it a “criminal offense,” and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) later reassured India’s National Investigative Agency that it was “aggressively” pursuing the case. However, the Indian government stressed that the attackers must be brought to book.
According to him, “The arson attack on our consulate in San Francisco is a very, very serious matter, and it is something for which we expect accountability. We would like to see that people who did it are held responsible.”
What India Aims at from the US Side
It is gaining a lot of attention globally, and especially within India; the Indian government hopes that US authorities will deal sternly and that those behind it will face judicial consequences. The remarks from Jaishankar had been on the safety and security of India’s missions and officials stationed abroad.
