Who is Matthew VanDyke and what's next in the Myanmar weapons training case as the court allows him to stay in the US until February?

A Delhi court on Friday allowed US national Matthew Aaron VanDyke and six Ukrainians arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in March to remain abroad. VanDyke was arrested in Calcutta, while Ukrainian nationals were held in Lucknow and Delhi for allegedly supporting and training ethnic armed groups in Myanmar allegedly hostile to India’s national security.

According to investigators, VanDyke and his team entered Mizoram on tourist visas and illegally crossed into Myanmar, where they set up training camps to train urban combat and drone warfare for ethnic armed groups.

The NIA alleged that the accused entered India on tourist visas, traveled through restricted areas without required permits and crossed into Myanmar through unauthorized points.

Who is Matthew VanDyke?

VanDyke, a self-proclaimed combat specialist and founder of security firm Sons of Liberty International (SOLI), a US-based non-profit that claims to train local forces resisting authoritarian regimes. He also claims to be a documentary filmmaker. VanDyke was also part of the rebels against Muammar Gaddafi during the 2011 Libyan uprising, where he was captured and held as a prisoner for several months before escaping, according to his website.

After spending more than six months in Tihar Jail under the UAPA, he was granted default bail by the Special NIA Court at Rouse Avenue in September 2026, after the court observed that the NIA had filed a charge-sheet in relation to the Aliens Act offenses within the statutory time limit, while investigations into the alleged UAPA offenses continued.

Dyke also paid ₹CZK 5.5,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 in fees before the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in relation to offenses under sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025.

The court extended VanDyke’s stay in the US until February

The accused had previously pleaded to return to their home countries for six weeks to be reunited with their families. On September 24, the court allowed them to leave for a month. They were ordered to return by October 23, when the case was scheduled to be heard.

On Friday, special judge Prashant Sharma extended the permission granted to them to stay out of India until February 24 next year. The court’s decision came after the NIA said they needed more time to investigate several aspects of the case.

The court also granted VanDyke his freedom to return to the US as he appeared in person on Friday. The other six accused appeared via video conference citing health issues.

Speaking to PTI outside the courtroom, VanDyke questioned the continuation of the case against him.

“There is no reason for this to continue. If not, I will stay in India. Until it ends,” he said.