New Delhi: UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak attended the meeting between British National Security Advisor Tim Barrow and Indian NSA Ajit Doval in London, the Indian High Commission in London stated.
Doval’s journey to London comes immediately after his Tuesday meeting with his American counterpart Jake Sullivan in Washington and before his upcoming trip to Moscow.
India’s High Commission tweeted, “A special gesture by PM Rishi Sunak to join for a while. NSA dialogue between Sir Tim Barrow and M. Doval at the Cabinet Office. Deeply value PM’s assurance of his government’s full support to deepen strategic partnership in trade, defence, S&T. Look forward to visit of Sir Tim to India soon.”
According to those with knowledge of the situation, Doval did some “plain speaking on Sikh radicalism, pro-Pakistan groups and BBC documentary” with UK officials, The Economic Times reported.
Radical Sikh actions against India and assaults on the Indian diplomatic mission have been worse recently, and the local government hasn’t responded appropriately, Doval told them. Similarly, anti-India Pakistanis are active in the UK, according to the persons, who also noted that this group frequently influences British MPs’ views on India.
They said that the PM Narendra Modi BBC documentary had a negative impact on bilateral relations.
In September of last year, Barrow was chosen to serve as the UK’s NSA. According to the UK government website, he previously held the positions of political director and second permanent under-secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.