Indian High Commission

Gandhi statue in London vandalised, Indian mission strongly condemns act

The High Commission of India has strongly condemned the vandalism of Mahatma Gandhi's statue at Tavistock Square in London on Monday, just days before the annual Gandhi Jayanti celebrations are scheduled to be held at the site on October 2. The plinth of the iconic statue, which depicts the Father of the Nation in a seated meditative pose, was discovered daubed with some disturbing graffiti. The Indian mission said it has reported the desecration to the local authorities, even as its officials are at the site to coordinate the restoration of the monument to its original state. The High Commission of India in London is deeply saddened and strongly condemns the shameful act of vandalism of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Tavistock Square in London, the Indian High Commission in London said in a statement on social media. This is not just vandalism, but a violent attack on the idea of non-violence, three days before the International Day of Non-Violence, and on the legacy of the Mahatm

India declares Pakistani official persona non grata, second in a month

The Charge d'Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission was issued a demarche to this effect today

Father of accused alleges son being framed in Saif stabbing case

The father of the Bangladeshi man accused of stabbing actor Saif Ali Khan will soon approach that country's foreign ministry and the Indian High Commission for the release of his son, who he said was being framed for reasons unknown to him. In a 12-minute interview, Mohammad Ruhul, the father of Shariful Islam, told PTI over the phone from Bangaldesh that his son did not have proper documentation for his stay in India and he lived in constant fear of being arrested. He alleged that the man seen in the CCTV camera footage was not Shariful and added that his son was being framed. "I will get in touch with the Bangaldeshi foreign ministry and also seek help from the Indian High Commission in Dhaka for the release of my son," Ruhul told PTI. He claimed that he learned about his son's arrest through Facebook and news channels and added he had not been contacted by police in this connection. "The police have not said anything to us," Ruhul told PTI. He revealed that Shariful entered In

India to provide grant for supplying police vehicles to Sri Lanka

India would supply vehicles to be used by the Sri Lankan police under a grant, the Indian High Commission here said on Wednesday. Indian High Commissioner in Colombo Santosh Jha and the top bureaucrat in the public security ministry DWRB Seneviratne have signed the MoU for the grant assistance worth Sri Lankan rupees 300 million The project entails supply of at least 80 single cabs, spare parts and accessories to the police stations in Northern Province of Sri Lanka, which will address a vital requirement of Sri Lankan Police related to enhancing safety of citizens and maintenance of law and order, a release said. India's people-centric development cooperation initiatives based on the needs of the people of Sri Lanka and the priorities of the Sri Lanka government are making a tangible difference to the daily lives of the people in all the 25 districts of the country across sectors such as housing, health, education, fisheries, transport, renewable energy, livelihood sustenance, ...

Coast Guard Chief Paramesh calls on India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Chief Director General S Paramesh visited Sri Lanka on Monday and met with India's High Commissioner, Santosh Jha, to discuss ways to strengthen regional maritime security.

Arrests continue in Brampton temple clash: New suspect in custody

Peel Region Police announced the arrest of Inderjeet Gosal from Brampton who has been alleged to have organised the protest at the Brampton temple on November 3.

India cancels consular camps in Canada over security after temple attack

The decision to cancel consular camps comes after local security agencies indicated that they could not guarantee adequate safety for the events

Canadian Khalistanis target Indian students: Sanjay Verma cautions parents

Appealing to parents, India's recalled High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, reportedly warned that Indian students in Canada were facing different types of negative influences

Govt to withdraw high commissioner, other 'targeted' diplomats from Canada

India on Monday decided to withdraw its high commissioner and other "targeted" diplomats and officials from Canada in response to Ottawa's attempt to link them to a probe into the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced the decision shortly after summoning the Canadian charge d'affaires. "The Canadian Charge d'Affaires was summoned by Secretary (East) this evening. He was informed that the baseless targeting of the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats and officials in Canada was completely unacceptable," the MEA said. "It was underlined that in an atmosphere of extremism and violence, the Trudeau government's actions endangered their safety. We have no faith in the current Canadian government's commitment to ensure their security," it said in a statement. "Therefore, the Government of India has decided to withdraw the High Commissioner and other targeted diplomats and officials," the MEA said. "It was also ...

India evacuates non-essential staff from Bangladesh, releases helpline nos

Bangladesh political turmoil: All Indian diplomats have remained in Bangladesh, and the missions are continuing to operate in Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Sylhet

NIA arrests key accused in attack on Indian High Commission in London

In a major breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested a key accused in a case related to the attack on the Indian High Commission in London in March last year. Inderpal Singh Gaba, a resident of Hounslow in the UK, has been arrested for carrying out unlawful activities during protests that took place on March 22, 2023, in London, a statement issued by the agency said. NIA investigations in the case so far have revealed that the incidents in London on March 19 and 22 last year were part of a larger conspiracy to unleash vicious attacks on the Indian missions and its officials. The attacks in London in March 2023 were found to be in retaliation to the action taken by the Punjab Police against pro-Khalistani separatist Amritpal Singh on March 18, 2023, it added. Further investigations in the case are continuing, the statement said.

India sends $1 million emergency relief assistance to Papua New Guinea

The relief consignment worth $1 million was airlifted to the capital of West New Britain, Kimbe, from the Papua New Guinea capital, Port Moresby, for distribution within the West New Britain province

Cabinet nod to open Consulate General of India in New Zealand's Auckland

India will soon open a consulate general in Auckland, which is home to a large number of non-resident Indians in New Zealand. The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, approved the proposal to open a Consulate General of India in Auckland, an official statement said. The consulate is likely to be opened and fully operationalised within 12 months, it added. India currently has a consulate in Auckland, which is headed by a honorary consul. The opening of a consulate general would pave the way for the appointment of a consul general, a post usually held by an officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). Opening the Consulate General of India in Auckland would help increase the country's diplomatic footprint and strengthen its representation in view of its increasing global engagement, the statement said. "This will also help promote India's strategic and commercial interests and better serve the welfare of the Indian community in Auckland,"

Geetika Srivastava appointed at Indian High Commission in Islamabad

Geetika Srivastava, currently serving as joint secretary at the headquarters of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), will be India's new charg d'affaires at its high commission in Islamabad, people familiar with the matter said on Monday. She will succeed Suresh Kumar who is likely to return to New Delhi. Srivastava, a 2005 batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is currently serving as a joint secretary in the MEA's Indo-Pacific division. The Indian and Pakistani high commissions in Islamabad and Delhi are being headed by their respective charge d'affaires after Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties following India's decision to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. Srivastava is expected to take up her assignment in Islamabad shortly, said one of the people familiar with the matter.

Indian High Commission attack mastermind Avtar Khanda dies in UK hospital

Avtar Singh Khanda, a Punjab-origin Khalistani separatist and mastermind of the attack on the Indian High Commission in London, died in a hospital in the UK on Thursday due to blood cancer.

Damage to Indian High Commission in London was not okay: UK Commissioner

British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis on Wednesday said the damage to the Indian High Commission in London was not okay and that he would have been equally angry if a similar incident took place at a UK mission. I completely understand the anger here about what happened... that was a completely unforewarned small group of people doing some damage to the High Commission. I would have been equally angry if it would have happened to our high commission, he said addressing an event organised by the Ananta Centre here. Ellis was referring to the vandalism at the Indian High Commission in London in March this year by pro-Khalistan groups who pulled down the tricolour and damaged the mission. He further said that India and the United Kingdom (UK) were capable of dealing with disagreements, but in case of Khalistani extremism, there was no disagreement. In case of extremism, in specific Khalistani extremism, I think there is no disagreement. What happened at the Indian High ...

NIA to probe protest, vandalism attempt at Indian High Commission in London

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will probe the case of protests and attempt to vandalise the Indian High Commission in London last month, officials said on Tuesday. The NIA will take over the case from the special cell of the Delhi Police which had registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act as it involves unlawful activities carried out by certain people holding Indian nationality abroad. According to officials, the NIA is mandated to probe any terror case that takes place in foreign land following amendments to the law governing the anti-terror probe organisation in 2019. Pro-Khalistani protestors tried to vandalise the Indian High Commission in London and pulled down the national flag while holding protests outside the High Commission complex on March 19. It happened a day after the Punjab Police launched a crackdown against radical preacher Amritpal Singh in Punjab. The Counter-Terrorism and Counte

Unacceptable, will not tolerate this behaviour, says UK parliamentarian

I think first of all it is unacceptable that any mission should be attacked and I'm glad that they've taken some very strong steps to making sure that that message is out there loud and clear

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India summons high commissioner of Canada over actions of separatists

India has summoned the Canadian high commissioner and conveyed its strong concern about the actions of separatist and extremist elements against its diplomatic mission and consulates in Canada recently. The Government of India on Saturday sought an explanation on how such elements were allowed, in the presence of police, to breach the security of its diplomatic mission and consulates, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Canada was reminded of its obligations under the Vienna Convention, and asked to arrest and prosecute the individuals who have already been identified as being involved in such acts, it said. The ministry hoped that the Canadian government will take all steps needed to ensure the safety of its diplomats and security of its diplomatic premises so that they are able to fulfil their normal diplomatic functions. On Sunday last, an event to be attended by the Indian envoy to Canada in British Columbia province had to be cancelled due to security concern