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India UK Migration Pact: RSTV- Big Picture

India UK Migration Pact:

Participants: 

Gurjit Singh, Former Ambassador.
Prof. Harsh V. Pant, Head, Strategic Studies Programme, ORF.

Context:

India has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UK. This MoU is regarding the migration and mobility partnership between the two countries.

Background:

• India had signed an MoU with the United Kingdom in 2018 to enable the return of illegal Indian migrants within a month of their detection by authorities abroad.
• The MoU had four parts which are discussed below:
  (i) Issue of visas for professionals and students.
  (ii) Visa-free entry for certain categories.
  (iii) It looks at the social security part of people who work in Britain for short-term, and
  (iv) Issue of easier extradition by using the mutual legal assistance treaty.
• It was discussed that the British authorities will first identify the illegal migrants, inform the Indian authorities, followed by police verification back home.
• If the claims of the British authorities are found to be correct, then the travel documents of the person concerned will be readied and he/she deported by the UK authorities. This process will have a timeline of one month.

The revised pact between the countries

• The data of the United Kingdom states that there are 6% illegal migrants from India out of the total population in Britain. That means the number of illegal migrants is approximately 100,000, but India has contested saying that the number is not more than 2000.
• The UK has consistently raised the issue of migration. India had earlier insisted on the fact that the “identity and nationality” of the people that the UK intends to send back have to be thoroughly verified.
• The UK earlier “misunderstood” India’s position and believed that New Delhi was not willing to take back Indians who are residing in their country illegally. But with the signing of the MoU, the issue has been sorted.
• Thus, both sides have now been able to find a “compromised solution which will follow a process” since this was an “irritant” in the India-UK relationship.

Key Highlights of the MoU:

• Under this MoU, which was signed by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and UK Home Secretary Priti Patel, the UK has agreed to create a new scheme on youth mobility under which, every year up to 3,000 young Indian professionals can avail employment opportunities in the UK for a period of two years without being subject to the labour market test.
• According to the MoU, India will “facilitate the readmission of their nationals who do not meet or no longer meet the provisions for legal entry into or legal residence to remain in” the UK.
• According to the pact, the UK will “submit all evidence concerning the identity, nationality, and citizenship of the person to facilitate verification of his nationality”.
• The pact says both India and the UK will “work together constructively on return arrangements that will contribute to the development of the overall migration partnership”.
• The MoU also states that both New Delhi and London will “promote the voluntary return for nationals of the other participants who are subject to a return decision”.
• It adds, “If a voluntary return is refused by the migrant, forced repatriation on a case-by-case basis will be resorted to” by the British government “in accordance with the applicable law after the verification of the national identity of those nationals”.

What made both countries sign this MoU?

• Five years ago, the United Kingdom restricted the entry of international students to Britain by raising the fees sky high.
• Along with this, a visa was also mandatory to work after graduation. Due to this, students started moving to other EU countries. The UK realized very soon that it is losing the market for Indian students hence, reopened it.
• After Brexit, Britain is seeking friendship with other countries and this move will strengthen the bilateral relationship between the UK and India.
• India views this as a diplomatic move to increase the investment from the UK to India.

Way Forward:

• This pact will bring new opportunities for the students and professionals by relaxing certain restrictions to migrate from India and stay in the UK. 
• It will enhance the twinning of academic institutions and think tanks.
• It will enable the exchange of scientific and other research between both countries.
• Despite the challenges in the implementation of this MoU, the agreement will bring positive and significant changes for both countries.

Conclusion:

India and the UK have signed this MoU to expand their spaces in the world, grab more opportunities together, deal with China, and open more spaces for the students. This will

 

strengthen the relationship between the two countries.