|
The all-party parliamentary delegation from India concluded a day of high-level engagements in London, meeting UK government ministers, parliamentarians, party leaders, think tanks, and India friendship groups as part of its visit from May 31 to June 3, 2025.
Discussions during the visit focused on strengthening India-UK collaboration against cross-border terrorism, with Operation Sindoor highlighted as a significant shift in India's counter-terrorism approach. The delegation received wide-ranging support, reaffirming shared commitments to global security, justice, and strategic partnership, according to High Commission of India, London press release. The day began with an interaction with UK-based think tanks, where the threat of cross-border terrorism and how Operation Sindoor sets a new strategic benchmark in India's fight against it were discussed. The delegation met Catherine West MP, Minister for the Indo-Pacific at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. She reaffirmed the UK's condemnation of terror attacks in India, its strong bilateral ties with India, and support for global efforts to bring perpetrators of terror to justice, read the release. At Conservative Campaign Headquarters, the delegation engaged with Lord Dominic Johnson of Lainston CBE, Co-Chair of the Conservative Party, and Koolesh Shah, Co-Chair of the Conservative Friends of India. They voiced strong support for India's fight against terrorism, acknowledged its global implications, and lauded the Indian diaspora's contribution to the UK. The delegation also met with Labour Party India Friendship Groups--including Labour Friends of India, Labour Convention of Indian Organisations, Sikhs for Labour, and Hindus for Labour. The groups expressed unified support for India's anti-terrorism efforts, emphasising the need to dismantle terror infrastructure and curb terror financing. In a separate meeting, the delegation briefed Seema Malhotra MP, UK Minister for Migration and Citizenship and Minister for Equalities, on Operation Sindoor. The day concluded with a dinner interaction with UK thought leaders, discussing the scourge of terrorism, its social impact, and the connected rise of radicalisation. The Indian delegation, led by Ravi Shankar Prasad, includes BJP MP Daggubati Purandeswari, Samik Bhattacharya, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Congress MPs Ghulam Ali Khatana and Amar Singh, former Union Minister MJ Akbar, and former Ambassador Pankaj Saran. Earlier, the all-party delegation interacted with the Indian diaspora at India House in London, reaffirming India's united stance and unwavering commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms. This diplomatic outreach follows Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 as a decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, which claimed 26 lives. Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of over 100 terrorists affiliated with groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. As part of this initiative, seven multi-party delegations are visiting countries worldwide to inform international partners about India's response to terrorism and its broader fight against cross-border terror threats. (ANI)
|
