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.[1] Three years later, he was stopped at New York White Plains where he had landed to address a conference at Yale University.[2] Four years later again, he was stopped at Los Angeles International Airport.[3]
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.[4] [5] 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.[6] [7]
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.[8]
| Date | Name | Occupation | Airport | Type | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2001 | Kabir Khan | Film director | Los Angeles International | Search | [9] | |
| 2002 | Aamir Khan | Film actor | Chicago O'Hare | Search | [10] | |
| 2002 | George Fernandes | Minister of Defence | Washington Dulles | Search | [11] | |
| 2003 | George Fernandes | Minister of Defence | Washington Dulles | Search | ||
| 2008 | Irrfan Khan | Film actor | Los Angeles International | Detention | ||
| 2009 | Irrfan Khan | Film actor | New York JFK | Detention | ||
| 2009 | John Abraham | Film actor | New York JFK | Detention | ||
| May 2009 | Mammootty | Film actor | New York JFK | Detention | [12] | |
| June 2009 | Neil Nitin Mukesh | Film actor | New York JFK | Detention | ||
| August 2009 | Shah Rukh Khan | Film actor | Newark | Detention | ||
| September 2010 | Praful Patel | Minister of Civil Aviation | Chicago O'Hare | Detention | [13] | |
| December 2010 | Meera Shankar | Ambassador to the US | 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 | ||
| 2013 | Azam Khan | Politician | Boston Logan | Detention | ||
| August 2016 | Shah Rukh Khan | Film actor | Los Angeles International | Detention |