'Would like to see action, not just assurances': MEA on attacks on Indian missions

India would like to see action, and not merely assurances, against those involved in the attacks on the Indian High Commission in London, UK and the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, US, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.

India has strongly taken up the matter of vandalisation in London and San Francisco, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said responding to questions on this during his weekly media briefing.

"You would have also seen the statements that we have put out in this regard. We expect that host governments will take action to identify and prosecute all those involved and also take necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents," he said.

"We would hope host governments provide adequate and full protection to our missions and to the personnel working there...We are not interested in just assurances, I think we would like to see action," Bagchi added.

The statement came hours after the Indian High Commission in London shared video clips showing miscreants from among the protesters hurling drinking water bottles and colour bombs, some of which then hit police personnel deployed at the scene.

On Wednesday, Indian High Commissioner UK Vikram Doraiswamy met British Minister of State for Commonwealth & Development Affairs Tariq Ahmed to discuss the incidents.

"Positive meeting with Indian High Commissioner @vdoraiswami today. As the Foreign Secretary said, we will always take the security of the High Commission & all foreign missions in the UK extremely seriously. The UK-India relationship is thriving & we are looking ahead to deeper ties," Ahmed tweeted after the meeting.

Following protests by Khalistani separatists and attempts to vandalise the tricolour, the Indian High Commission put up a large national flag in front of the building. Later, a massive tricolour was also unfurled along the roof of the High Commission building in London.

The past few days have seen an outpouring of support for the country and the national flag from the sizable Indian population in London. Groups of Indians, including students, have been gathering outside the High Commission, waving the tricolour and protesting against actions of the Khalistani separatists.

Following the incident on March 19, the Indian government lodged a strong protest and called on the British government to ensure adequate security at the Indian High Commission.

India had summoned the British deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi to convey India’s strong protest at the actions taken by separatist and extremist elements against the Indian High Commission in London.

"An explanation was demanded for the complete absence of the British security that allowed these elements to enter the High Commission premises," the MEA had said.

"It is expected that the UK Government would take immediate steps to identify, arrest and prosecute each one of those involved in today’s incident, and put in place stringent measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents," the MEA had added.

In the US, a group of Khalistan supporters broke open the makeshift security barriers raised by the police and installed two Khalistani flags inside the premises of the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Sunday.

It was reported that a group of protesters thereafter entered the consulate premises and started attacking the door and windows with iron rods.

India conveyed its strong protest at the vandalisation of the property of the Consulate General of India in San Francisco.

"The US Government was reminded of its basic obligation to protect and secure diplomatic representation. It was asked to take appropriate measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents," the MEA said on Monday.

The Indian Embassy in Washington DC had also conveyed India's concerns to the US State Department.