External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to London included discussions on Khalistani separatist activity in the U.K., with the newly appointed Home Secretary James Cleverly and the National Security Adviser Tim Barrow. Specifically, Mr Jaishankar has denied a claim in a November 14 report in The Guardian which stated he pressured newly appointed U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron, on information about Khalistani activists who were involved with protests around the Indian High Commission in London on March 19 this year, when there were incidents of vandalism at the building.
At least two news organisations had reported that India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) had asked the U.K. for information on suspects by invoking the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT).
Speaking to the Indian press corps at the conclusion of his visit to the U.K. on Wednesday, the Mr. Jaishankar said he had not discussed the Khalistani issue with Mr Cameron, whom Mr Jaishankar met on November 13, shortly after Mr. Cameron, who is also the country’s former Prime Minister, had been appointed Foreign Secretary.
