Khalistan Referendum in Indianapolis Today as Thousands of Sikhs Prepare to Vote

Indianapolis: Thousands of members of the Sikh community are expected to participate in a Khalistan referendum in Indianapolis today, as the campaign for a separate Sikh homeland continues to attract attention across the global Sikh diaspora.

Voting for the referendum is scheduled to begin at 9:00 am local time on Sunday. The vote is being organised as part of the international campaign led by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and is being promoted by its leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Organisers say thousands of Sikh voters are expected to arrive in Indianapolis to participate in the voting process and express their views on the demand for an independent Khalistan.

The referendum has become another major international platform for Sikh separatist sentiment, with Khalistani flags reportedly visible across parts of downtown Indianapolis ahead of the event.

According to organisers, local Sikh groups have completed arrangements to facilitate participants, including food, refreshments and other basic services for voters arriving at the venue.

Growing Support for Khalistan Campaign

The Indianapolis vote is being presented as another chapter in a global referendum campaign that has previously been held in cities including London, Toronto, Vancouver, Rome and Geneva.

Organisers claim that large numbers of Sikhs have participated in previous voting events in support of Khalistan.

The Indianapolis referendum follows an earlier vote held in Seattle this year, while a referendum was also organised in Ottawa, Canada, on November 23, 2025.

The campaign has continued despite strong opposition from New Delhi.

India’s Opposition to Sikh Referendum

The Khalistan referendum movement has remained a major source of friction between India and sections of the Sikh diaspora.

Indian authorities have consistently opposed such referendums and rejected their legitimacy. However, organisers argue that the voting events provide Sikh communities abroad with a peaceful platform to express their political aspirations.

The campaign has also intensified amid allegations that Indian authorities have attempted to pressure or intimidate Sikh activists overseas.

India has faced serious allegations in recent years over alleged attempts to target Sikh separatist figures abroad. The killing of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June 2023 further intensified tensions between India and Canada.

Canadian authorities subsequently accused Indian government agents of involvement in the killing, allegations that New Delhi has rejected.

Sikh activists have also alleged that India has been involved in attempted attacks against Sikh figures in other Western countries. These allegations have contributed to growing concerns among sections of the Sikh diaspora regarding their safety and political freedom.

Pannun Questions India’s Opposition

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has repeatedly challenged New Delhi over its opposition to overseas Khalistan referendums.

“If India says the Sikh referendum has no impact, then why does it send death squads to kill Sikh leaders abroad?” Pannun has argued.

He has also maintained that he does not fear death and claimed that Punjab’s history of resistance could eventually lead to significant political changes in the Indian subcontinent.

Pannun has reportedly said that he believes India’s political map could change within the next 10 to 15 years because of Punjab’s resistance history.

Khalistan Issue Becomes Global Concern

The Indianapolis referendum demonstrates that the Khalistan question is no longer confined to Punjab or India. It has increasingly become an international political issue involving Sikh communities across North America, Europe and other parts of the world.

For Sikh activists, the referendum represents an opportunity to raise the demand for self-determination and draw international attention to what they describe as longstanding grievances against the Indian state.

For New Delhi, however, the campaign represents a separatist movement that challenges India’s territorial integrity.

The continuing dispute, coupled with allegations of transnational targeting of Sikh activists, has further widened the political divide between India and sections of the Sikh diaspora.

As thousands of Sikh voters gather in Indianapolis, the referendum is expected to once again place the Khalistan issue at the centre of international attention and intensify scrutiny of India’s policies towards Sikh political activism at home and abroad.