India, UK NSAs to meet on Khalistan activity, extradition of fugitives

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 2

Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Boris Johnson on Monday evening agreed to ask their National Security Advisers (NSAs) to meet in London to sort out irritants relating to aggressive Khalistani activists and the long-pending extradition of Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi. 

“PM Johnson, I think agrees fully that some of these groups need to be reined in and that clearly steps have to be taken to see how such activity which under no means is democratic, or constitutional should be or could be used to address these recent incidents,” said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla while briefing the media about the first day of COP26 in Glasgow.

He was asked to elaborate on the discussion between the two PMs on counter-terrorism after a spurt in activity from Khalistani groups that included a recent so-called referendum. 

The police was deployed outside the Indian High Commission in London late last year after near-violent demonstrations took place in its vicinity and then UK High Commissioner Ruchi Ghanshyam had met British Home Secretary Priti Patel to convey India’s security and safety concerns in this regard.

Shringla said while many of these groups do not gain any traction, yet by speaking on issues they have no legitimate right to speak on, they cause a “certain level of disequilibrium and concern in both our countries”.

On the pending extradition of Modi and Mallya, the NSAs will examine in detail “all of these issues that are important to the consular and security and other aspects of our relationship”, said the Foreign Secretary.