(Bloomberg) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged UK counterpart Rishi Sunak in a call to take “strong action against anti-India elements,” after a Sikh separatist group attacked the country’s embassy in London last month. 

Modi stressed the need to maintain security at Indian consulates in the UK, the Press Information Bureau said in a statement Thursday. Sunak, for his part, reiterated his condemnation of the “unacceptable violence” outside the Indian High Commission, the UK Prime Minister’s Office said.

Sunak said that “extremism had no place in the UK” and updated Modi on steps being taken to ensure the security of Indian High Commission staff, his office said.  

Why a Sikh Separatist Is Being Hunted By India’s Police: Q&A (1)

The conversation between the two leaders follows India’s denial of a report that it had stalled trade talks with the UK over its handling of a Sikh separatist group that attacked the Indian embassy building in London last month.

A trade deal with India has long been a prized goal for the British government, which wants to cut tariffs and open opportunities for UK services to operate in the South Asian country. The need for an early conclusion to talks over a free trade deal was also discussed on the call.

Modi also raised the issue of economic offenders who have taken refuge in the UK and sought progress on the return of these fugitives so that they can appear before the Indian judicial system. 

--With assistance from Debjit Chakraborty and Alex Morales.

(Updates with Sunak statement in second paragraph.)

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