British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said ahead of a visit to India to boost trade ties that Britain will not ease visa requirements for Indian citizens, the BBC reports.
Starmer will lead a delegation of more than 100 entrepreneurs, cultural and academic leaders, and the visit is aimed at boosting investment and boosting sluggish economic growth. The prime minister said there was great potential for strengthening trade and cultural ties with India. At the same time, the British politician said there were no plans to ease visa requirements for Indian workers or students.
The British prime minister said the issue was not about visas: “It’s about business to business engagement and investment and jobs and prosperity coming into the United Kingdom.” Britain and India signed a trade deal in July after years of negotiations. It will make it cheaper to export British cars and whisky to India, while India will be able to import textiles and jewellery into the UK cheaper. The deal also includes a three-year exemption from social security contributions for Indian workers working in Britain on short-term visas. However, ministers insist that no wider changes to immigration policy are planned.
The Labour government is trying to reduce the number of immigrants entering the country
and has announced the introduction of a strict residence permit policy.
British Airways is also among the business people heading to India. The airline has announced plans to introduce a third daily flight between Heathrow and Delhi next year. Manchester Airport has also opened a new regular flight to Delhi.
During his two-day visit, Starmer is expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who took to social media to wish Russian dictator Vladimir Putin a happy birthday ahead of the British delegation’s visit. Starmer said he would not follow Modi’s lead: “Just for the record, I haven’t sent birthday congratulations to Putin, nor am I going to do so. I don’t suppose that comes as a surprise.” Asked whether he planned to criticise India’s purchases of Russian oil, Starmer said Britain was currently focused on tackling Russia’s shadow fleet. He added that Britain was one of the leading countries in tackling the shadow fleet – tankers carrying Russian oil with forged documents and registrations.
Read also: Zelensky: Russian drones are being driven by British-made parts