The UK government has stated that it will not seek a visa agreement with India, focusing instead on strengthening economic relations following the recent trade deal between the two countries.

The UK Prime Minister is set to begin a two-day visit to India, accompanied by a delegation of business representatives aiming to promote the trade agreement. The deal, agreed upon earlier this year, is expected to come into effect next year.

The Prime Minister noted that visa issues had previously complicated efforts to finalise a trade agreement. However, with the current deal not involving visa arrangements, he indicated there are no plans to revisit the visa topic during discussions with the Indian Prime Minister.

He emphasised that the visit’s purpose is to capitalise on the new trade agreement, stating that businesses are already benefiting from it and that visa matters are not part of the agenda.

The UK Prime Minister is adopting a more cautious approach to immigration amid public concerns, with his party currently trailing a populist rival in polls. He clarified that the government will not introduce visa offers specifically aimed at attracting technology professionals from India, contrasting with recent changes to U.S. visa policies. Nonetheless, he expressed a general desire to attract highly skilled talent to the UK.

When asked about the possibility of restricting visa issuance to nationals from countries that refuse to accept deported individuals, he described the issue as irrelevant in relation to India due to an existing returns agreement but noted it would be examined more broadly. The government is considering whether visa policies should be linked to agreements on the return of foreign nationals.