Act against Khalistani extremists now: NSA Ajit Doval's strong message to UK counterpart
NSA Ajit Doval and his UK counterpart Tim Barrow on Friday discussed the Khalistani extremist threats targeting Indian diplomats, the need for public action, and bilateral security cooperation.
FollowDuring a meeting in Delhi on Friday, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval conveyed a strong message to his British counterpart, Tim Barrow, regarding the extremist elements that have been targeting officers of the Indian High Commission in the UK. Doval emphasized the need for the UK government to publicly address these threats, advocating for measures such as deportation or legal prosecution. Incidents involving Khalistani extremists targeting Indian diplomats, including High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami, have raised concerns. Extremist groups have even announced a protest rally in front of the Indian High Commission in London. The Indian government has previously raised this issue with UK authorities, and Doval reiterated these concerns firmly during the meeting.
"The NSA (National Security Adviser) minced no words and asked the UK government to take strong public action against these elements such as deportation or legal prosecution," a senior government official said.
Both sides agreed to address the root causes driving violent extremism and radicalism in their respective countries. They emphasised that there is no justification for such actions in a democratic world.
"India has been concerned about safety of our diplomats. We had raised this issue with the UK authorities. But today the NSA raised this issue very firmly," the official said.
"Both sides were of the firm opinion that there is no justification for violent extremism and radicalisation in a democratic world," the official added.
The meeting took place in the wake of the death of Avtar Singh Khanda, the leader of the Khalistan Liberation Force based in the UK and the alleged handler of separatist Amritpal Singh, who passed away in a Birmingham hospital on June 15.
The meeting, which lasted over two hours, covered a range of topics including counter-terrorism, counter-terror financing, internet-based terrorism, drug trafficking, and counter-radicalization. Tim Barrow's visit to Delhi for the India-UK Strategic Dialogue included discussions on bilateral, regional, and global agendas, reviewing existing cooperation and exploring areas for future collaboration, particularly in technology.
The two NSAs engaged in restricted discussions on regional and global issues of mutual interest, followed by delegation-level talks where they reaffirmed the strong strategic partnership between India and the UK, with a commitment to enhancing security cooperation.
