Van Dyke threatens to ‘reveal shocking details’ of arrest with 6 Ukrainians in India, blames Russia

Mathew Van Dyke. File

The matter of Mathew Van Dyke, the U.S. Citizen arrested along with six Ukrainians for travelling from Myanmar without valid documents, is still in the courts, said the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday (November 10, 2026).

The MEA spokesperson refused to comment on remarks by Mr. Van Dyke, that he had been arrested at Russia’s behest, threatening to “reveal shocking details” about his incarceration in Delhi’s Tihar jail for six months.

Mr. Van Dyke was granted bail along with the others arrested and was allowed to leave the country last month. According to his mother, Sharon Van Dyke, who campaigned for his release, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor had raised the issue with the Indian government.

“India threw me and several Ukrainians in prison for over six months. This was part of Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Mr. Van Dyke said in a post, without giving more details. He said he would “reveal shocking details about this story over the next few months in both posts and media interviews”.

When asked MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the case is presently in the courts, adding that the government will “have to wait for what the courts have to say”. The government had come under criticism from the Opposition parties for diluting the charges against Mr. Van Dyke and for the National Investigation Agency to say it had no objection to those accused of suspected mercenary activities leaving the country. In a series of responses to Indian social media users on Tuesday (November 10), Mr. Van Dyke said he was “innocent” of any “anti-Indian” agenda, accepting however, that he had wrongly crossed over from Myanmar to Mizoram without valid permissions.

“Everyone going to non-junta areas in northwestern Myanmar goes through India. It happens every day,” Mr. Van Dyke claimed, calling for the case against him to be closed. In response to a question on social media put by The Hindu, Mr. Van Dyke said he would return in February 2027 to appear in person even though the court suggested that he could attend the hearing via video from the U.S..

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had arrested U.S. national Matthew Aaron Van Dyke and six Ukrainian nationals on March 13, 2026 at different Indian airports, in connection with an alleged cross-border conspiracy involving Myanmar-based ethnic armed groups.

According to the agency, the accused had entered India on tourist visas and travelled to the northeastern region without obtaining the mandatory permits. They crossed illegally from Mizoram into Myanmar, where they allegedly imparted training to ethnic armed organisations in drone warfare, drone operations, assembly and jamming technology. Initially, the NIA also invoked provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). However, its first charge sheet dated September 8 did not include terror charges.

In September, a special court granted bail to Mr. Van Dyke, allowing him and the others to leave the country and return to India within 30 days. Mr. Van Dyke came back to Delhi on October 23 and appeared before the court. The same day, the court allowed him to return to the U.S. and extended permission for the six Ukrainians (who appeared via video conferencing) to remain outside India until February 24, 2027.