Strong protest launched with UK over vandalisation incident at Indian High Commission in London: Foreign Secretary Kwatra

Answering queries during a media briefing on the Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's visit here, the Foreign Secretary said that the British Deputy High Commissioner was summoned on Sunday to convey India's concerns.

"With regard to the UK incident, we have already put out yesterday late evening India's response to it in which UK Deputy High Commissioner was summoned...demanding an explanation and asking the culprits and the perpetrators of what happened at London yesterday to be quickly arrested and prosecuted," the Foreign Secretary said.

"We launched a strong protest and also clearly indicated to the British authorities for the need for them to put up adequate security at the UK High Commission," he added.

On Sunday, the senior-most UK diplomat in New Delhi was summoned to convey India's strong protest at the actions taken by separatist and anti-India elements against the Indian High Commission in London.

Ministry of External Affairs had said that explanation was demanded "for the complete absence" of British security that allowed these separatist and extremist elements to enter the High Commission premises.

"She was reminded in this regard of the basic obligations of the UK Government under the Vienna Convention. India finds unacceptable the indifference of the UK Government to the security of Indian diplomatic premises and personnel in the UK," the MEA statement said.

"It is expected that the British Government would take steps to identify, arrest and prosecute each one of those involved in the incident, and put in place stringent measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents," it added.

The British High Commissioner Alex Ellis condemned the vandalisation incident at the Indian High Commission in the UK. "I condemn the disgraceful acts today against the people and premises of the High Commission of India - totally unacceptable," he said. (ANI)