Indian Concerns On Immigration Cap Shared With British Government

04 Aug 2010

Prime Minister David Cameron’s visit to India led to discussions regarding concerns of Indian Government on immigration cap. The British Government assured that it will take into account the views of the Indian Government on UK immigration policy.

A Downing Street spokesman mentioned the following:  "We want to work with India and other countries to ensure that high-skilled people can still come to Britain. We are going to talk to these countries about how to implement the cap."

Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma when he visited the UK towards the end of June 2010 had the following to say:

"Our business leaders, professionals and other institutions have stated concerns over this matter. Though we understand the United Kingdom and European Union regulations, but the regime has to be investor friendly and must not come in the way of free movement of investors and professionals."

UK Business Secretary Vince Cable who is a Liberal Democrat member of the UK coalition Government said the following before the trip to India:

"It's no great secret that in my department and [for] me personally, we want to see an open economy and as liberal an immigration policy as it's possible to have".

Cameron acknowledged the increasing importance of Asia and in particular India when he said the following:

"India's economy is on an upward trajectory. In Britain, we're waking up to a new reality. For centuries my country assumed we could set the global economic pace. But economic power is shifting - particularly to Asia - so Britain has to work harder to earn its living in the world."