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       Alleged Assassination Plot on U.S. Soil Tests Biden’s Bond With India’s Leader

       The charges illustrate how complicated it can be for American presidents to balance their relationships with deeply imperfect allies.

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       President Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India during a state dinner at the White House in June. Officials said they had no information that Mr. Modi was aware of the alleged plot. Credit...Doug Mills/The New York Times

       By Katie Rogers, Julian E. Barnes and Glenn Thrush

       Reporting from Washington

       Nov. 30, 2023

       On a rainy night in June, President Biden toasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India during a state dinner at the White House, celebrating “two great friends, and two great powers” — a gesture of flattery for a leader he has enlisted to help the United States check China’s ambition and counter Russia’s aggression.

       According to the White House, the president had no idea that a significant test to that relationship was unfolding, even during the state visit.

       On June 22, as Mr. Biden pulled out all of the diplomatic stops to bring Mr. Modi closer, a senior official in the Indian government was offering the “go ahead” approving the murder-for-hire plot surrounding a Sikh American on U.S. soil, according to a Justice Department indictment filed in a federal court in New York Wednesday.

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       A correction was made on Nov. 30, 2023

       : An earlier version of this article misstated the title of Narendra Modi, the leader of India. He is the prime minister, not the president.

       When we learn of a mistake, we acknowledge it with a correction. If you spot an error, please let us know at nytnews@nytimes.com.Learn more

       Katie Rogers is a White House correspondent covering a range of issues, including foreign policy, domestic policy, and the Biden family. Her book, “American Woman,” about first ladies in the White House, will be published in February 2024. She joined The Times in 2014. More about Katie Rogers

       Julian E. Barnes covers the U.S. intelligence agencies and international security matters for The Times. He has written about security issues for more than two decades. More about Julian E. Barnes

       Glenn Thrush covers the Department of Justice. He joined The Times in 2017 after working for Politico, Newsday, Bloomberg News, The New York Daily News, The Birmingham Post-Herald and City Limits. More about Glenn Thrush

       A version of this article appears in print on Dec. 1, 2023, Section A , Page 19 of the New York edition with the headline: Brazen Scheme Could Strain Biden’s Bond With Modi . Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

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