The move comes as Britain wants to clinch a trade deal with India, according to a media report
The UK has chalked out plans to relax immigration rules by offering cheaper and easier visas for Indian tourists, students and professionals. The move comes as Britain wants to clinch a trade deal with India, according to a media report.
UK International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is expected to visit New Delhi this month, when formal negotiations on a proposed India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) are expected to begin. Apparently, Trevelyan has the backing of Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, who wants close ties with India and has thus put it on top of the government’s agenda to counter the growing influence of China, Home Secretary Priti Patel is opposed to this move, the report said. In May last year, Patel had signed a ‘bespoke’ and reciprocal Migration and Mobility Partnership (MMP) with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to have around 3,000 students and professionals a year access work experience benefits in either country. Under the MMP, both sides have agreed to work towards an April 2022 timeline to bring the new system in place, with work underway in the High Commission in London and the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.
Under further immigration plans that are being worked upon, there is a scheme similar to that agreed as part of the UK’s FTA with Australia. This would allow young Indians the chance to come and work in the UK for up to three years.
Trevelyan and Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had held talks during the G-20 trade ministers meeting in Sorrento, Italy, last October to discuss “final preparations” for the launch of India-UK FTA negotiations this year
Yet another option would be to reduce visa fees for students, that would allow them to stay in the UK for a period after they graduate, possibly building upon the Graduate Route visa under the points-based immigration rules currently in place, the report said. There could also be reductions in the fees for work and tourism visas. At present, it can cost an Indian citizen up to GBP 1,400 for a work visa, while students pay GBP 348 and tourists GBP 95 respectively. These are in sharp contrast with visa fees for countries such as China, who have to pay significantly less.
Lord Karan Bilimoria, who is of Indian origin, is the president of the Confederation of British Industry and is among the most vocal advocates for lowering visa fees for Indians. He was quoted saying that the “FTA, I hope, will benefit in enhancing bilateral trade and be as comprehensive as possible. Movement of people; reduction of duties and tariffs – the tariff on Scotch whisky is 150 per cent, that’s got to be reduced drastically; academic collaborations and cross-border research is going to be huge between our countries and partnering on a Green industrial revolution. There is a vast array to really ramp up business and trade between our two countries”.
The Times quoting a senior government official pointed out that there was an acceptance by ministers that the price of a trade deal with India would be to make a “generous” offer on visas. “The tech and digital space in India are still hugely protectionist and if we could open up even a slither of access, it would put us ahead in the game,” a government official was quoted as saying. The UK government has repeatedly said it wants a deal that slashes barriers for doing business with India.
Trevelyan and Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had held talks during the G-20 trade ministers meeting in Sorrento, Italy, last October to discuss “final preparations” for the launch of India-UK FTA negotiations this year.
************************************************************************
Readers
