Indian National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and UK’s NSA Tim Barrow will be meeting in Delhi on Thursday (March 30), a meeting that shows growing security cooperation between the two countries. While the meeting is informal, it is not a strategic dialogue between the two countries. Notably, NSA Doval was in London in February and held a strategic dialogue meeting with Barrow.
Defence and security cooperation has been a key pillar of India-UK’s comprehensive and strategic partnership. As part of its ‘Indo-Pacific tilt’, London has been engaging with New Delhi, especially when it comes to cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
The visit of the UK NSA comes even as India has raised concerns over the Khalistan vandalism at the Indian High Commission earlier this month. India has already summoned the UK diplomat over the issue in the aftermath of the incident. It had also withdrawn all external security outside the British High Commission in Delhi. During the informal meeting, the matter may be discussed.
NSA Barrow is also UK’s G20 sherpa and will be travelling to Kerala for the G20 sherpa meet that begins on Thursday (March 30). The second G20 sherpas meeting under India’s G20 presidency, chaired by India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant is set to take place in the picturesque village of Kumarakom, Kerala, from March 30 to April 2, 2023.
This is the second high-level visit from the UK to India this month concerning security. Earlier this month, Richard Moore, the chief of MI6 – the UK secret intelligence service was in Delhi as the Indian national capital hosted a gathering of over 25 intelligence chiefs.
