Sikh Separatist Activism Impacts India’s Relations With the West

A massive crackdown against supporters of Khalistan, an independent homeland for Sikhs, that was launched in March in the Indian state of Punjab has caused ripples abroad. While some governments “did ban a few outfits declared terrorist in India, robust action on fundraising and public advocacy for an independent Khalistan is missing,” a former Indian diplomat told The Diplomat. Trade is almost insignificant, a symptom of an “underperforming economic relationship,” as the Canadian high commissioner in New Delhi told an Indian business daily last year. Following the vandalism in London, the United Kingdom’s Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi Christina Scott was summoned to the MEA, where officials conveyed India’s “strong protest” over the actions by “separatist and extremist elements.” MEA officials demanded an explanation for the “complete absence of British security that allowed these elements to enter the High Commission premises” and conveyed that the U.K.’s “indifference” to India’s concerns over the lack of security at its diplomatic premises and for its personnel is “unacceptable.” New Delhi followed that up by reducing security outside the British High Commission and the envoy’s residence in New Delhi. It cited a U.K. government official as saying that they don’t want to speak about trade, they don’t want to do trade negotiations because they think it’s part of a wider problem of us not taking the attack against the Indian high commission and the wider Sikh separatist movement seriously.” Apparently, India will not resume FTA talks until the U.K. “issues a public condemnation of the Sikh separatist movement.” Although both India and the U.K. governments have rejected reports of the stalled talks, India’s pique with London over the Khalistan issue is running high and unlikely to be appeased easily.