India rejects UK parliamentary report alleging ‘transnational repression’

New Delhi, Aug 1: India has strongly rebutted a UK parliamentary committee report that accused it of engaging in “transnational repression” on British soil, calling the allegations “baseless” and “dubious.” In response to media queries regarding the UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) report, titled “Transnational Repression in the UK”, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “We have seen the references to India in the report and categorically reject these baseless allegations.

These claims stem from unverified and dubious sources, predominantly linked to proscribed entities and individuals with a clear, documented history of anti-India hostility. The deliberate reliance on discredited sources calls into question the credibility of the report itself.”

The report, recently published by JCHR, claimed that several countries, including India, have attempted to intimidate or silence individuals and communities within the UK. It states that “multiple evidence submissions accused Bahrain, China, Egypt, Eritrea, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates of perpetrating TNR in the UK.” It also alleges the “systematic misuse” of international policing mechanisms such as Interpol by some governments, raising concerns about politically motivated Red Notices used to target dissidents.

India’s sharp rejection follows similar pushback in the past against international reports citing unverified or politically motivated claims. The MEA has reiterated that any such assessments must be based on credible evidence and not “discredited sources with an agenda.”