NSA Doval meets UK counterpart, raises Khalistan extremism

“Both sides agreed to work closely on counter-terrorism, counter-terror financing, use of the internet for terrorism purposes, illicit drugs trafficking and counter-radicalisation,” the source said. Barrow is on an official visit to New Delhi for the ‘India-UK Strategic Dialogue’. He is accompanied by a delegation of senior UK government officials, and is expected to meet senior government functionaries in India.

A day earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said that “space should not be given to those advocating violence or legitimising terrorism in the name of freedom of expression”.

Posters identifying Indian envoys have surfaced in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK ahead of a “rally” being organised by pro-Khalistan groups in these countries on July 8.

On Thursday, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India had taken up with London the threats issued to the Indian diplomats. “We have taken up this latest issue of threats against our diplomats with the UK authorities. We have noted comments by the UK foreign secretary but we would naturally judge them by what happens on the ground,” the MEA spokesperson had said.

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly had tweeted on Thursday: “Any direct attacks on the Indian High Commission in London are completely unacceptable. We have made clear to @VDoraiswami (Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami) and the Government of India that the safety of staff at the High Commission is paramount.”

About the meeting between Doval and Barrow, sources said the two NSAs met for restricted discussions on regional and global issues of mutual interest. This was followed by delegation-level talks where both the countries reaffirmed their close strategic partnership and agreed to accord maximum priority to further enhance the security linkages.

“The two sides agreed to deepen mutually beneficial collaboration in critical and emerging technologies,” the source said.

According to 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,” the source said.