New Delhi: The Congress Friday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the release of American national Matthew Aaron VanDyke—one of seven foreign nationals arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) earlier this year—with party leaders alleging that the government buckled under US pressure.
VanDyke boarded a flight to Washington Friday night, a day after a Delhi court allowed him and six Ukrainian nationals to walk out of Tihar jail and return to their respective countries for a month. The NIA had arrested all seven earlier this year on charges of crossing over to Myanmar to train ethnic armed groups, initially under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. However, the agency did not invoke UAPA provisions against them in its first chargesheet, but maintained that an investigation under the anti-terror law was still underway.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said VanDyke’s release raised questions about the government’s handling of national security and its dealings with the US.
“Our #CompromisedPM does it again. Last night, a US national, Matthew VanDyke, accused of plotting terrorist acts was released and allowed to return to his country,” Ramesh wrote in a post on X.
He listed the timeline of Dyke’s arrest and release on X: “Mar 13: A group of foreign nationals, including VanDyke, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on charges of conspiring to carry out terrorist activities against India.”
“Mar 16: NIA court submission alleged that the accused was supporting anti-India insurgent groups. It was alleged that the accused had confessed to abetting terrorist activities.”
Our #CompromisedPM does it again.
Last night, a US national Matthew VanDyke accused of plotting terrorist acts was released and allowed to return to his country.
• Mar 13: A group of foreign nationals, including VanDyke, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 25, 2026
He also asked whether US pressure had played a role in the developments. “During US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to India (May 23-26), US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor raised the issue with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Sep 8: UAPA charges were dropped against VanDyke, a foreign national accused of terrorism. This stands in sharp contrast to the law’s widespread misuse against Indian citizens by the Govt and where such cases are deliberately dragged on,” wrote Ramesh.
“Sep 24: VanDyke was released from custody and allowed to go home. Obviously US pressure determined this outcome but what did India get in return?” he added.
He also questioned how the seven foreign nationals had entered India and travelled to Myanmar. “More fundamentally, how were these suspicious foreign individuals given visas and allowed to travel through India to Myanmar in the first place? The HM must answer this.”
“The PM has failed to protect India’s elections, institutions and our national security,” he alleged.
Congress MP and communications department head Pawan Khera also targeted Modi over VanDyke’s release, drawing a comparison with the deportation of Indian nationals from the US.
“Mathew Van Dyke—a known mercenary who entered Mizoram without the requisite permit, crossed over into Myanmar, imparted weapons training to armed groups there, and then crossed back into our territory—has been sent off to America as though he were a state guest,” Khera said. “Mind you, America deported Indian citizens in handcuffs and military planes.”
Mathew Van Dyke – a known mercenary who entered Mizoram without the requisite permit, crossed over into Myanmar, imparted weapons training to armed groups there, and then crossed back into our territory – has been sent off to America as though he were a state guest.
Mind you,… pic.twitter.com/UrE11ghNk9
— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 ಪವನ್ ಖೇರಾ (@Pawankhera) September 25, 2026
Khera further attacked the Prime Minister, referring to him as “compromised”.
VanDyke and the six Ukrainians got out of Tihar Thursday after a special NIA court allowed them to travel to their home countries for a month to meet their families, subject to conditions and formalities, after they were granted default bail under immigration offences.
The NIA had told the court that the seven foreign nationals were being investigated for an alleged wider conspiracy involving assistance to ethnic armed groups in India and Myanmar and imparting drone-warfare training.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
Also Read: Why American, Ukrainian nationals arrested by NIA have escaped UAPA so far
The Congress party is wrong. Vandyke was an intelligence operative and in intelligence operations such thing can happen. Congress party has never understood India’s security. During Congress’s rule India was continually kicked, slapped, insulted by many countries including Pakistan. Today no country can think bad about India, Pakistan is now scared to even look at India. So Jairam Ramesh is wrong.