India Raises Extremism Concerns With UK Over Khalistan Row

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar concluded his five-day visit to the UK on Wednesday, describing it as "timely" after a series of cross-party engagements amid "substantial progress" on the ongoing free trade agreement negotiations.

Discussions with UK Cabinet Ministers and Opposition Leaders

During a media interaction at the High Commission of India in London before leaving, the EAM shared some insights from his discussions with the UK Cabinet ministers and Opposition leaders, which covered a whole spectrum of global and bilateral issues.

Concerns Regarding Pro-Khalistan Extremism

India's concerns regarding pro-Khalistan extremism in relation to the safety of its diplomats in the country were among the topics that came up during his meetings with UK Home Secretary James Cleverly and National Security Adviser NSA Tim Barrow.

"We have long-standing concerns about extremist and sometimes even violent activities of various forces, including those who propagate Khalistan," said Jaishankar.

"We have been trying to get the government here to understand that while we as a fellow democracy certainly understand the importance of freedom of expression, and of speech, they should be on guard against the misuse of these freedoms," he said.

Upcoming FTA Negotiations

Asked if the upcoming 14th round of negotiations on the FTA is likely to be the final one, the EAM said, "We have made substantial progress, but I don't think it would be prudent of me to make predictions or to put timelines. I think both sides are very aware of the importance of the FTA and will make the utmost effort to get there. So, we have to take it as it happens."

Bilateral Talks with UK Foreign Secretary

As the first minister to hold bilateral talks with the newly appointed UK Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, Jaishankar said the pair covered a range of regional issues such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and also the Israel-Hamas conflict in West Asia.

Cricket Diplomacy

The EAM also shared that Cameron presented him with a cricket bat signed by both England and Indian cricket teams, a gift he described as "very special".

Earlier, during his meeting with Rishi Sunak at 10, Downing Street on Sunday, he had gifted the UK Prime Minister a cricket bat signed by batting legend Virat Kohli.

Importance of Personal Interactions

"Overall, I would say this visit was timely, and much needed because these personal interactions do a lot in really developing an understanding between countries. I was very satisfied, the British system really made an effort to engage at all the relevant levels from the prime minister downwards, and that itself is a statement of the closeness of our ties today," he said.

Bipartisan Nature of Bilateral Relationship

The EAM also highlighted the bipartisan nature of the bilateral relationship, reflecting on his very wide-ranging discussions with Opposition Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer and shadow foreign secretary David Lammy.

In-Conversation Session at Wilton Park

His final engagement was an in-conversation session entitled 'How a billion people see the world' organised by Wilton Park at the Royal Over-Seas League in London during which he covered a broad range of topics, including the momentum behind India's growth story, realities of the relations with China and the rise of a "more authentic" India.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's five-day visit to the UK was a significant opportunity to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two countries. The EAM's meetings with UK Cabinet ministers and Opposition leaders covered a wide range of global and bilateral issues, including concerns regarding pro-Khalistan extremism, the ongoing FTA negotiations, regional conflicts, and cricket diplomacy. The visit highlighted the importance of personal interactions in developing understanding between countries and the bipartisan nature of the UK-India relationship.