Rishi Sunak makes 'special gesture' by joining India-UK security dialogue

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak joined the meeting between India's national security advisor Ajit Doval and his British counterpart Tim Barrow in London, said the High Commission of India in London.

Doval's visit to London comes right after he met his US counterpart Jake Sullivan in Washington on Tuesday and ahead of his trip to Moscow this week.

"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," tweeted the High Commission of India.


Doval did some "plain speaking on Sikh radicalism, pro-Pakistan groups and BBC documentary" with his British counterpart, according to people familiar with the matter. Anti-India activities by Sikh radicals and attacks against the Indian diplomatic mission have grown in recent years and the local administration has not acted adequately, they said.

Similarly, anti-India Pakistanis are active in the UK, said the people, adding that this section has often influenced British MPs in their approach to India. The BBC documentary on PM Narendra Modi has cast a shadow on bilateral ties, they said.

Barrow was appointed as the UK NSA in September last year. He earlier served as political director and second permanent under-secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, according to the UK government website.

India and the UK have concluded six rounds of negotiations for a trade deal and the next round is set to begin soon. Soon after he became PM, Sunak had indicated he would take a different approach to trade deals to his predecessor, Liz Truss, who was PM for a few weeks but set the tone for Britain's negotiations as trade minister.