Vulnerable Embassy: Indian High Commission in London at Risk from Extremist Attacks"

 

The Indian High Commission in London was left vulnerable to mob attacks when Sikh extremists pulled down the Indian national flag last month. Despite Delhi Police registering a case against the offenders, the UK government has yet to install bollards outside the embassy to prevent further attacks, citing privacy laws. Unlike the heavily fortified British High Commission in Delhi, the Indian High Commission is located in a commercial area without any protection from unruly mobs. After India raised the issue, the London Metropolitan Police posted two personnel outside the High Commission to prevent any further incidents.

The UK government has promised to deal firmly with the issue of Sikh radicalism, but there is suspicion that the British establishment, including intelligence, is using extremists and state media as leverage over the Modi government. Despite evidence of extremists raising funds in the UK in the name of human rights violations in Punjab, they have been able to acquire significant properties and seek political asylum in the UK.

The Modi government has taken the March 19 flag incident very seriously and warned that bilateral relations will be affected if such an incident were to occur again. While the Delhi Police removed barricades outside the British High Commission, the security of the British High Commissioner may be at risk if there is any further attack on the Indian High Commission.

It is worth noting that the security officer in charge had informed their MI-5 counterpart about the March 19 protest in advance, but the security of the High Commission was still compromised. This follows a similar incident in August 2019 when Pakistan-sponsored radicals pelted stones at the Indian High Commission after the withdrawal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir.