‘Take Public Action Against Extremist Elements’: NSA Ajit Doval To UK Counterpart

Pro-Khalistan groups have issued posters inciting violence against senior Indian diplomats in the UK as well as in the US, Canada and Australia, triggering fresh concerns in New Delhi.

New Delhi: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Friday called upon his British counterpart Sir Tim Barrow to take strong public action such as deportation against extremist elements threatening officers of the Indian High Commission in the UK, official sources said. Doval raised the issue during his wide-ranging talks with Barrow, who is currently on a visit to India.

The two NSAs held one-on-one talks that were followed by delegation-level strategic dialogue. Pro-Khalistan groups have issued posters inciting violence against senior Indian diplomats in the UK as well as in the US, Canada and Australia, triggering concerns in New Delhi. India has already asked all these countries to ensure the safety and security of Indian diplomats and their missions.

In the talks, which covered a broad bilateral, regional and global agenda, the two sides also agreed to work closely to counter-terrorism and deepen mutually beneficial collaboration in critical and emerging technologies.

"The Indian side raised the issue of the extremist elements in the UK threatening individual officers of the Indian High Commission and urged the UK government to take strong public action against these elements such as deportation or legal prosecution," said a source.

The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation to address violent extremism and radicalism as there can be no justification for violent extremism and radicalisation in a democracy, the sources said.

Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said on Thursday that the safety of the Indian diplomats and security of the Indian missions is of utmost priority to the government and New Delhi has taken it up with concerned countries.

In the name of freedom of expression, space should not be given to those advocating violence or legitimising terrorism, Bagchi said in a message to the countries that are witnessing increasing activities by the Khalistani groups.

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Thursday said that any direct attacks on the High Commission of India in London are "completely unacceptable". On Doval-Barrow talks, the sources said both sides agreed to deepen counter-terrorism and terror financing.

The two NSAs also resolved to expand mutually beneficial bilateral collaboration in critical and emerging technologies. "Both the sides agreed to work closely on counter-terrorism, counter-terror financing, use of the internet for terrorism purposes, illicit drug trafficking and counter-radicalisation," said the source.

"The two sides agreed to deepen mutually beneficial collaboration in critical and emerging technologies," it added. In the delegation-level talks, both countries reaffirmed their close strategic partnership and agreed to accord maximum priority to further enhance the security linkages.