Indian MPs arrive in UK to build support against Pakistan terror links

AN all-party delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad has arrived in London to reiterate India's zero-tolerance stance on terrorism.

The multi-party delegation, including MPs Daggubati Purandeswari, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Ghulam Ali Khatana, Amar Singh, Samik Bhattacharya, M Thambidurai, former minister of state MJ Akbar and ambassador Pankaj Saran, is scheduled to meet community groups, think tanks, parliamentarians and diaspora leaders.

"The All Party Delegation of MPs led by Ravi Shankar Prasad arrived in London on Saturday evening and was received by High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami," the Indian High Commission in the UK said in a post on X.

During their three-day visit to the UK, the delegation will engage with House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, foreign office minister for Indo-Pacific Catherine West, parliamentarians, think tanks and Indian diaspora representatives, the High Commission said.

The Prasad-led delegation is touring six European countries as part of India's diplomatic outreach following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives. The delegation arrived in London after concluding visits to France, Italy and Denmark over the past week.

In Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, the delegation interacted with Danish parliamentarians, foreign affairs officials and Indian diaspora groups.

"The delegation emphasised India's zero-tolerance towards terrorism and stance that any act of violence would be responded to appropriately. India's appreciation of Denmark's public stance condemning the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the expression of solidarity with India was conveyed to the Danish side during the meetings," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement earlier.

From the UK, the delegation will head for discussions and meetings with a cross-section of parliamentarians, political leaders and diaspora groups in the European Union (EU) and Germany.

The delegation is one of seven multi-party delegations India has tasked to visit 33 global capitals to reach out to the international community to stress Pakistan's links to terrorism.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam terror attack, with India carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir in the early hours of May 7.

Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to the Pakistani actions.

The on-ground hostilities ended with an understanding to stop military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10.

(PTI)