Since 2001, several cases of detention and search of Indian VIPs at US airports have been reported, resulting in diplomatic tensions between India and the United States. Protest from Indian authorities often led to apologies from US officials. Unlike the United States, India frequently exempts diplomats and other well-known figures from airport security checks.

Shah Rukh Khan experienced three well-publicised incidents of this type. On 15 August 2009, he was detained at Newark while on his way to celebrate India's Independence Day in Chicago. Three years later, he was stopped at New York White Plains where he had landed to address a conference at Yale University. Four years later again, he was stopped at Los Angeles International Airport.

In December 2010, Indian Ambassador to the United States Meera Shankar and to the United Nations Hardeep Singh Puri were both targeted by security agents in two separate incidents. In September 2011, former President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was searched twice – before and after boarding his plane – at New York JFK airport, previously in 2009 he had been searched by the ground staff of a Continental Airlines flight in New Delhi which was bound for Newark.

In 2015, it was announced that a list of 2,000 Indian VIPs will be included in the US Global Entry programme, which warrants expedited clearance at US airports. The list was to include former Presidents and Prime Ministers, prominent industrialists and well-known actors.

Date Name Occupation Airport Type SourceSeptember 2001Kabir KhanFilm directorLos Angeles InternationalSearch2002Aamir KhanFilm actorChicago O'HareSearch 2002 George Fernandes Minister of Defence Washington Dulles Search 2003 George Fernandes Minister of Defence Washington Dulles Search 2008Irrfan KhanFilm actorLos Angeles InternationalDetention2009Irrfan KhanFilm actorNew York JFKDetention2009John AbrahamFilm actorNew York JFKDetentionMay 2009MammoottyFilm actorNew York JFKDetentionJune 2009Neil Nitin MukeshFilm actorNew York JFKDetention August 2009 Shah Rukh Khan Film actor Newark Detention September 2010 Praful Patel Minister of Civil Aviation Chicago O'Hare Detention December 2010 Meera Shankar Ambassador to the US Jackson–Evers Search December 2010 Hardeep Singh Puri Permanent Representative to the UN Houston Detention September 2011 A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Former President of India New York JFK Search April 2012 Shah Rukh Khan Film actor New York White Plains Detention 2013Azam KhanPoliticianBoston LoganDetentionAugust 2016Shah Rukh KhanFilm actorLos Angeles InternationalDetention

See also

Kamal Haasan, Indian actor denied preclearance to travel to the United States by Customs and Border Protection authorities at Toronto Pearson International Airport in 2002 because of his Muslim-sounding name.

References