December 8th 2025.
New Delhi: The Indian government expressed its appreciation for the actions taken by the United Kingdom to address the issue of anti-India, Khalistani extremist groups. They hope that the two countries will continue to collaborate closely in order to strengthen their efforts in counter-terrorism and security.
During a regular media briefing on Monday, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that the UK government's actions are a significant step in the global fight against terrorism. They also serve to combat illicit financial activities and transnational crime networks.
When asked about the recent sanctions imposed by the UK government on Babbar Khalsa's Gurpreet Singh Rehal and the Babbar Akali Lehar group, Jaiswal responded, "We welcome the measures taken by the UK government to sanction these extremist entities. Such individuals and groups pose a threat not only to India and the UK, but to the entire world. We look forward to continuing our close cooperation with the UK to further strengthen our efforts in counter-terrorism and security."
On December 4th, the UK Treasury announced that it had frozen the assets of Gurpreet Singh Rehal, who is suspected of involvement in terrorist activities in India. They also imposed an asset freeze on the Babbar Akali Lehar group for promoting and supporting the same terrorist organization.
According to a statement issued by the UK government, Rehal is believed to be involved in the terrorist activities of Babbar Khalsa and Babbar Akali Lehar. This includes promoting and encouraging recruitment, providing financial services, and purchasing weapons and other military equipment. The statement also mentions that Babbar Akali Lehar is associated with and involved in the terrorist activities of Babbar Khalsa.
As a result of these sanctions, all funds owned, held or controlled by Rehal or Babbar Akali Lehar in the UK will be frozen. UK individuals and entities are prohibited from dealing with these funds or providing any financial services to them.
In October, during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to India, the issue of Khalistani extremism was discussed during his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai.
During a special media briefing on Starmer's visit, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that PM Modi emphasized the need to take action against radicalism and violent extremism within the legal framework of democratic societies.
When asked about the discussions on Khalistani extremism between PM Modi and Starmer, Misri confirmed, "Yes, it was a topic that was brought up during their discussions in July and was also mentioned again during their talks today. Prime Minister Modi stressed that there is no place for radicalism and violent extremism in democratic societies and that they should not be allowed to misuse the freedoms provided by these societies. He emphasized the need to take action against them within the legal framework."
India has previously expressed concerns about the presence of Khalistani extremists in the UK.
During PM Modi's visit to the UK in July, he stated that extremists with radical ideologies should not be allowed to misuse democratic freedoms.
"We thank Prime Minister Starmer and his government for strongly condemning the terror attack in Pahalgam. We are united in our belief that there should be no double standards in the fight against terrorism. We also agree that those with extremist ideologies should not be allowed to misuse democratic freedoms. Those who do so must be held accountable," said PM Modi during a press statement with UK Prime Minister Starmer.
PM Modi's statement comes as the issue of Khalistani extremism in the UK has been a growing concern, with past incidents of them causing disruptions at the Indian High Commission in London.
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