Vijay Mallya is wanted in India for fraud and money laundering. (FILE)
London:
India has strongly underlined its interest in the speedy extradition of former Kingfisher Airlines chief Vijay Mallya, who has completed all legal proceedings related to the extradition from the UK, during talks between the Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Harsh Vardhan Shringla and British Home Secretary Priti Patel in London.
On the final leg of his three-country European tour, Mr Shringla had discussions in London with several UK ministers and officials and in his interactions with Patel and UK Foreign Secretary for South Asia Lord Among the issues raised was Tariq Ahmad on Tuesday the issue of economic offenders extradited to face the Indian justice system.
“We have strongly underlined our interest in seeing the swift and expeditious extradition of Vijay Mallya, who is a financial offender who has completed all extradition proceedings in the UK. We would like him to return to India as soon as possible “said Mr. Shringla.
“Also, Nirav Modi. I raised this issue with Lord Ahmad and the Home Secretary, and both have taken very careful note of our priority and our feelings in this regard,” he said. .
Mr Mallya, wanted in India for fraud and money laundering in connection with loans taken out by his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines with Indian state-owned banks, has been tried in India by UK courts. He is currently out on bail, subject to a “confidential” legal issue before Priti Patel can consider signing his extradition order.
On the other hand, Nirav Modi, the fugitive diamond dealer accused of fraud and money laundering in connection with the state-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB), is currently incarcerated in Wandsworth Prison in London while he fights his extradition to India to Westminster Magistrates. “Court.
Mr Shringla arrived in London after visits to Paris and Berlin on Tuesday and held a series of meetings to cover a wide range of issues, including the India-UK vaccination partnership in a post-coronavirus world and the climate change, as well as to highlight India’s prospects. on the growing importance of the Indo-Pacific region.
On bilateral relations between India and the UK, the Foreign Minister noted that the context of Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU) paves the way for a reset of relations – with both UK and EU.
“We are considering early harvest agreements, which would bring benefits to both of our countries, followed by a more detailed preferential trade agreement or a free trade agreement,” Shringla said.
“Obviously, a limited deal means we are working on areas that both sides can immediately agree on. We need more time to reach a more comprehensive trade deal, but our ministers are in touch and will work on it. try to make such a deal, ”he said.
“We are also considering a similar agreement at EU level, but a bilateral agreement is always different from an agreement with a group,” he added.
Indian High Commissioner to the UK Gaitri Issar Kumar highlighted the five priority areas of food and drink, life sciences, information and communications technologies (ICT), chemicals and services that have been restricted on both sides, with the Minister of Trade and Industry. Piyush Goyal and UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss are set to take stock of the level of movement in these areas during talks scheduled for November 9.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Prime Minister Boris Johnson are part of the UK’s high-level visits to India scheduled for 2021, depending on the lockdown situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Foreign Secretary Shringla noted that with the UK currently undertaking an integrated review of its political framework, the Indo-Pacific region is expected to play a key role in the “transformational relationship” that Raab had previously refers to India. .
“We believe in the vision of free, open, transparent and inclusive Indo-peaceful actors; we believe in multipolarity. The framework exists in France and Germany and we also see it in the United Kingdom, although it remains to be articulated within the political framework. It (the Indo-Pacific) has become more important, relevant and topical, ”Mr. Shringla said.
In addition to his ministerial and official level talks, the foreign minister also held a host of talks with prominent business leaders and CEOs and is expected to interact with representatives of Indian expats later on Wednesday before returning to India. at the end of its European conference. tower.
(This story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
