India’s Foreign Service Officer Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who is serving as the 33rd and current Foreign Secretary of India met British Home Secretary Priti Patel in London to underline India’s interest in expediting the extradition of former Kingfisher Airlines Chief Vijay Mallya and fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi. Mallya has completed the legal process for the extradition. During his visit, Shringla also interacted with UK Foreign Office Minister for South Asia, Lord Tariq Ahmad to discuss the issue of these economic offenders.
Pressed with charges of fraud and money laundering related to now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, Mallya has a case to answer in India by the UK courts. Currently on bail, taking care of a “confidential” legal issue before the Home Secretary signs off on his extradition order. Diamond merchant Nirav Modi who is accused of fraud and money laundering in the Punjab National Bank (PNB), is residing at Wandsworth Prison in London to fight his extradition to India at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
Before visiting London, Shringla visited Paris and Berlin, holding meetings to cover issues that concern India-UK vaccine partnership in the post-coved-19 world and climate change. He also noted the backdrop of Brexit that will reset India-UK’s relationship.
"We are looking at early harvest deals, which would bring benefits to both our countries, followed by a more detailed, either preferential trade agreement or a free trade agreement. Obviously, a limited deal means we work on those areas on which both sides can immediately agree to. We need more time to conclude a more comprehensive trade agreement but our ministers are in touch and will work on trying to close such a deal. We are also looking at a similar deal at the EU level, but bilateral agreement is always different from an agreement with a group,” ," Shringla said.
He also acknowledged that the Indo-Pacific region will play a key role in the “transformational relationship” mentioned by UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. "We believe in the vision of free, open, transparent and inclusive Indo-Pacific stakeholders; we believe in multi-polarity. The framework is there in France and Germany and we see it in the UK also, though it is yet to be articulated in policy framework. It (the Indo-Pacific) has become more significant, relevant and topical," said Shringla. Shringla also conducted a host of discussions with leading business chiefs and CEOs.
Meanwhile, India awaits the scheduled arrival of Dominic Raab and PM Boris Johnson in the post- Covid world in India during 2021. That will depend on the lockdown situation in the country.
