One of Britain's most important post-Brexit trade partnerships+ could be at risk due to Theresa May's refusal to reform visa restrictions for Indian citizens. The British Prime Minister has insisted leaving the EU would allow Britain to find other partners abroad and India, the world's fastest growing major economy, was the first country she visited, accompanied by a large business delegation, outside Europe after the referendum.
But as the offensive to secure a trade deal continued yesterday, senior diplomats and Indian government officials warned May's refusal to reform visa restrictions+ could scupper her hopes. Boris Johnson has flown in to Delhi+ to meet members of the government, business leaders and, he hopes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Johnson is due to explain the UK's position on Brexit and stress how leaving the EU offers further commercial and industrial opportunities for the two countries.
"I think the time is fast upon us when we need to turbo charge this relationship with a new free trade deal, such as we will shortly be able to do," Johnson said. "We can't negotiate it now, but we can sketch it out in pencil on the back of an envelope. This is not the time to put up barriers between our countries. This is time to break down barriers that will in the long term to create the jobs, the good jobs with good incomes that offer real hope and comfort... Let us work together, Britain and India are united by our values and in many ways by our approaches to the problems of the world and it is working together to improve our security that we will allow the freedom and the openness that will drive our long term prosperity."
However, the issue of visas quickly surfaced with a senior Indian official saying "mobility issues are of importance to us; we cannot separate free movement of people from the free flow of goods, services and investments". And S Irudaya Rajan, an advisor to the Indian government on migration issues added: "India is an important country for the UK and curbing the flow of good minds, whether they are students or skilled workers, cannot be good for the UK."
In London, as May revealed that there will be a "hard Brexit" leaving the EU single market and customs union, India's new high commissioner to the UK commented that the issue of the visas is not going to go away. Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha contrasted the stance taken by Britain with other countries on admitting students and workers from fields like IT into the country.
Source:-TOI
But as the offensive to secure a trade deal continued yesterday, senior diplomats and Indian government officials warned May's refusal to reform visa restrictions+ could scupper her hopes. Boris Johnson has flown in to Delhi+ to meet members of the government, business leaders and, he hopes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Johnson is due to explain the UK's position on Brexit and stress how leaving the EU offers further commercial and industrial opportunities for the two countries.
"I think the time is fast upon us when we need to turbo charge this relationship with a new free trade deal, such as we will shortly be able to do," Johnson said. "We can't negotiate it now, but we can sketch it out in pencil on the back of an envelope. This is not the time to put up barriers between our countries. This is time to break down barriers that will in the long term to create the jobs, the good jobs with good incomes that offer real hope and comfort... Let us work together, Britain and India are united by our values and in many ways by our approaches to the problems of the world and it is working together to improve our security that we will allow the freedom and the openness that will drive our long term prosperity."
However, the issue of visas quickly surfaced with a senior Indian official saying "mobility issues are of importance to us; we cannot separate free movement of people from the free flow of goods, services and investments". And S Irudaya Rajan, an advisor to the Indian government on migration issues added: "India is an important country for the UK and curbing the flow of good minds, whether they are students or skilled workers, cannot be good for the UK."
In London, as May revealed that there will be a "hard Brexit" leaving the EU single market and customs union, India's new high commissioner to the UK commented that the issue of the visas is not going to go away. Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha contrasted the stance taken by Britain with other countries on admitting students and workers from fields like IT into the country.
Source:-TOI
