New Delhi: Indian government sources have refuted the claim that discussions with the United Kingdom regarding a free trade agreement have been halted due to New Delhi’s demand for a more explicit stance against Khalistan extremists.On Monday, one of the UK’s top newspapers, The Times, reported that India had “stalled trade negotiations after accusing Britain of failing to condemn a Sikh extremist group that attacked the Indian high commission in London last month”.In New Delhi, there was no official statement. But, government sources denied the report, terming it as “baseless”.The UK high commission forwarded a response from the UK Department of Business and Trade. “Both the UK and India are committed to delivering an ambitious and mutually beneficial FTA and concluded the latest round of trade talks last month,” said the statement from UK’s DBT spokesperson. “The Foreign Secretary has condemned the recent acts of violence at the Indian High Commission, and we are working with the Metropolitan Police to review security and make changes to ensure the safety of its staff”.This statement was also published by The Times newspaper.As per sources, the next round of FTA talks will be held on April 24. The eighth and last round of trade talks took place from March 20 to 31.India had summoned the UK deputy high commissioner after the flag at the Indian mission in London was brought down by a pro-Khalistani protestor on March 19.India had sought an “explanation” from the UK on the “complete absence of the British security that allowed these elements to enter the High Commission premises”. The MEA press release added, “India finds unacceptable the indifference of the UK Government to the security of Indian diplomatic premises and personnel in the UK”.Along with the summoning of the UK diplomat, India had also removed security barriers outside the gates of the British high commission and the UK envoy’s official residence in New Delhi. The concrete barriers are still not back.The Times article quoted senior UK government sources as claiming that New Delhi had “disengaged” from the trade talks.“India has said they don’t want to speak about trade, they don’t want to do trade negotiations because they think it’s part of a wider problem of us not taking the attack against the Indian high commission and the wider Sikh separatist movement seriously. Indians don’t want to talk about trade until they get a very public demonstration of condemnation of Khalistan extremism in the UK,” a UK government official told the UK newspaper.The British news report also stated that the Home Office was “planning a crackdown on Sikh extremists and is preparing an announcement in the coming weeks”.Till now, there have been condemnatory statements from the British foreign secretary James Cleverly and the UK high commissioner about the violence at the UK high commission. The article further said that the issue of Sikh extremism was only one of several problems that have slowed down talks. These reportedly include UK’s refusal to exempt Indian nationals from paying national insurance, the home office’s concern over Indian migration and New Delhi’s anger over the BBC documentary on Narendra Modi.The Indian government has also summoned the envoys of Canada and the United States over incidences of damage to Indian diplomatic missions by pro-Khalistan protestors.
