Who Is Priti Patel? Indian-Origin UK MP Who Backed India's Operation Sindoor Against Cross Border Terrorism

London: In a fiery speech before the UK House of Commons, British MP Priti Patel defended India’s Operation Sindoor, squarely blaming the Pakistan-based terror networks for the recent Pahalgam massacre. Patel’s remarks come amid escalating tensions in South Asia following India's precise military strikes on the terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and a nationwide security drill involving blackouts and mock alerts.

Who Is Priti Patel?

Priti Patel is a prominent British politician of Indian descent, known for her hardline stance on national security and immigration. A senior figure in the UK Conservative Party, Patel previously served as the UK’s Home Secretary from 2019 to 2022, where she was at the forefront of domestic anti-terror legislation and border control reforms. Born to a Gujarati family, Patel has consistently advocated for stronger UK-India ties and has long been vocal against global terrorism, especially its links to South Asia.

Now a Member of Parliament from Witham, Essex, Patel remains an influential voice on foreign policy, especially when it intersects with India’s security concerns and the diaspora's sentiments in the UK.

Patel Slams Cross-Border Terrorism, Defends India

In her recent parliamentary address, Patel condemned the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 tourists were gunned down in what she called “a barbaric and savage act of violence.” She urged the UK to "recognise the cross-border terror threat posed by groups operating from Pakistan,” highlighting India’s right to respond to such threats.
“This was an act of terrorism, and we must reflect on the fact that Pahalgam has joined Mumbai, New Delhi and other places in India that will be forever scarred by an act of terror,” said Patel, as quoted by ANI.

She directly linked Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group India holds responsible, to other global terror organisations, including Hamas, and pressed the UK government to clarify what intelligence links exist between them. “Can the Minister confirm if the UK government is aware of any cooperation and links between Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hamas?” she asked.

Patel also demanded assurances that British aid to Pakistan is not inadvertently supporting terrorist infrastructure. She called for more transparency on whether the UK was consulted before India launched its military action under Operation Sindoor and urged for strengthened intelligence sharing between the two countries.