The U.S.-based pro Khalistan advocacy group Sikh for Justice has proposed to pledge $1 billion to participate in the Board of Peace initiative led by former President Donald Trump, officials said, in what supporters describe as an effort to bring the Khalistan issue into international diplomacy.
Announcing the commitment in Washington, D.C., Sikh for Justice framed the offer as part of its campaign to secure a peaceful, internationally monitored referendum on the creation of an independent Sikh state in India’s Punjab region a cause that has long been opposed by the Indian government.
Hundreds of Sikh diaspora members reportedly attended the announcement event, where group leaders emphasised that the Khalistan demand remains a political dispute requiring global attention and dialogue. The pledge, they said, aims to ensure the first official meeting of the proposed Board of Peace includes discussion of their concerns and promotes democratic resolution rather than confrontation.
General counsel for Sikh for Justice, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, called on Trump to engage with Indian leaders to support the idea of a referendum under international oversight, stressing that activists and Sikh youth backing the proposal have faced arrests and alleged harassment.
Analysts said the group’s move reflects an attempt to leverage diplomatic platforms and put pressure on New Delhi over the longstanding Khalistan movement, even as India opposes separatist referendums and considers them a threat to its sovereignty.
The Board of Peace, inaugurated in recent months by Trump with commitments from various international partners, has not issued a formal response to the pledge.
