India halts UK trade talks over Sikh extremists, says The Times - CNBCTV18

gamagana.blogspot.com

In order to the the negotiations back on track, the UK home office, in the coming weeks, is planning an announcement and also to crack down on Sikh extremists and supporters of the Khalistan movement, which is calling for the independence of Punjab in India, Bloomberg quoted The Times as saying. 

India has halted trade talks with the United Kingdom and will not restart them till the latter publicly condemns a Sikh extremist group which attacked the Indian embassy building in London in March, government sources told The Times, Bloomberg reported.

In order to the the negotiations back on track, the UK home office, in the coming weeks, is planning an announcement and also to crack down on Sikh extremists and supporters of the Khalistan movement, which is calling for the independence of Punjab in India, Bloomberg quoted The Times as saying.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment outside office hours. Relations between India and the UK have soured in recent months after the Indian High Commission in London was vandalized and the British Broadcasting Corp ran a critical documentary

about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A trade deal with India has long been a prized goal for the British government, which wants to cut tariffs and open opportunities for UK services to operate in the world’s second largest country.

Police in Punjab, India have been hunting for fugitive Sikh separatist leader Amritpal Singh, cutting off internet for several days last month. He has called

on followers to revive a banned secessionist movement that fought to create an independent state called Khalistan.

Singh’s supporters earlier this month vandalised the Indian High Commission in London, with a similar incident occurring at the Indian consulate in San Francisco. India’s foreign ministry lodged protests with both the US and UK, and asked for better protection of its overseas properties. Security at the residence of the UK’s top diplomat in New Delhi was briefly removed

following the attack in London.

“Both the UK and India are committed to delivering an ambitious and mutually beneficial free trade agreement an  concluded the latest round of trade talks last week,” a UK trade department spokesman told the newspaper. “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.”

The UK expects to reach a free trade deal with India this

year, Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch told Bloomberg

last month, after a previous deadline to finalize the deal by

the Hindu festival of Diwali in 2022 slipped by.

With inputs from Bloomberg

Adblock test (Why?)

"trade" - Google News
April 10, 2023 at 09:43AM
https://ift.tt/cpQhguS

India halts UK trade talks over Sikh extremists, says The Times - CNBCTV18
"trade" - Google News
https://ift.tt/nJF3H7g