Rein in Khalistani extremists, Ajit Doval tells British NSA

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, July 7

In a meeting between National Security Advisers of both countries here on Friday, the Indian side raised the issue of extremist elements in the UK threatening individual officers of the Indian High Commission and urged the British government to take strong action, including deportation or legal prosecution, against these elements.

British NSA Tim Barrow is on an official visit at the invitation of NSA Ajit Doval for the ‘India-UK Strategic Dialogue’. He is accompanied by a delegation of senior UK government officials. The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation to address violent extremism and radicalism. There could be no justification for extremism and radicalisation in a democracy,

sources said, citing the two sides. Both sides also agreed to work closely on counter-terrorism, counter-terror financing, use of internet for terrorism, illicit drug trafficking and counter-radicalisation. They also agreed to deepen mutually beneficial collaboration in critical and emerging technologies, said the sources.

The two NSAs have engaged regularly in extensive discussions on a broad bilateral, regional and global agenda. “The current visit will give them the opportunity to continue their high-level dialogue, which will include a review of the multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries as well as explore futuristic areas for technology collaboration,” said the sources. The two NSAs also met for restricted discussions on regional and global issues of mutual interest.