India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has reacted to a UK Home Office study that was leaked and names Khalistani radicalism and Hindu nationalism as new concerns in the UK. The nature of the separatist and extremist threats coming from the UK is “well known,” according to MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, who also underlined that such beliefs “should not be condoned or falsely equated.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper commissioned the leaked paper, which classifies several extremist ideologies, such as Islamist and right-wing extremism, alongside Khalistani and Hindu nationalism.
This marks the first time Hindu nationalism has been officially recognized as a security threat in the UK. The MEA’s comments reflect India’s longstanding concerns about the implications of these ideologies, particularly in relation to communal tensions and violence.
In the context of this report, Jaiswal’s remarks highlight India’s position that while recognizing threats, it is crucial not to conflate different forms of extremism or overlook their unique contexts and implications.