UK won't relax visa rules for India, Starmer says

TDT | Manama

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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed that the UK will not ease visa restrictions for Indian workers or students, ahead of his visit to India to promote the recently signed UK-India trade agreement.

Leading a delegation of over 100 business leaders, cultural figures, and university vice-chancellors, Sir Keir aims to boost UK investment in India and stimulate sluggish economic growth. He described the trip as an opportunity to strengthen both trade and cultural ties, calling the potential benefits “massive.”

Speaking in India, Sir Keir emphasized that no business leaders he had met had raised visa issues during his visit. “The visit is about providing opportunities for Indian businesses to take advantage of the UK-India trade deal,” he said.

The deal, signed in July after years of negotiation, is expected to make UK exports such as cars and whisky more affordable in India, while Indian textiles and jewellery will become cheaper in the UK. It also includes a three-year exemption on social security contributions for Indian employees working in the UK on short-term visas. However, ministers clarified that this does not constitute a broader change in UK immigration policy.

Speaking to reporters on the flight to Mumbai, Sir Keir reiterated that visas “played no part” in the trade agreement and that the situation remains unchanged. The Labour government has continued its efforts to limit immigration and recently announced stricter settlement policies at its party conference.