Latest Update (May 30, 2022)-In an interview, Alex Ellis, UKs High Commissioner, acknowledged the important role of international students, especially from Punjab, in the India-UK bilateral relationship.
Ellis sat in an interview just after his meeting with Bhagwant Mann, Punjab CM, and revealed the discussions held in this meeting.
He shared that UKs visa issuance rate for Indian students has tripled over the last three years, with around 1,00,000 visas the demographics of which are dominated by Punjabi students.
Ellis considered the change in UKs work norms as one of the motivating factors for Indian students to apply for UK visas. The stay back period in the UK for international students has been raised to up to two years. The lengthier stay back period allows students to pay back their student loans.
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He, however, was of the opinion that better measures, apart from the educational exchange and stay back, are required to increase mobility among the nations. The plans about tracking people back in the state after they have completed their studies were discussed in the meeting.
With the aim to connect education with trade and investment talks about exploring the agri-technology area by the farming companies and sports-based tie-ups were also included in the meeting.
The programmes with the highest probability of bi-lateral collaborations are agriculture, information technology, food processing, higher education, sports, public transport, and biomass.
Additionally, tie-ups between Punjab universities and visiting British universities are being looked forward to. Direct flights between UK and Punjab are also being explored.
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Ellis accepted the possibility of negative involvement of Punjabis visiting the UK and Britons visiting Punjab, which according to him would require strong cooperation in law enforcement to get resolved. There is a need for laws and cooperation between two nations so that abuse of migration laws can be avoided.
Ellis commented on the Ukraine-Russia conflict and its effect as a sign for countries to have better and firmer national resilience. He counted the Free Trade Agreement and Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement as the positive steps of the UK and India towards such resilience.
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Source: The Tribune
The Union Cabinet of India approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the UK and India on migration and mobility partnership. The MoU aims to promote visa mobility of students, skilled professionals and researchers and to strengthen cooperation on issues like human trafficking and irregular migration in both countries. The partnership is to benefit Indian students, researchers and academic scholars and migrants for jobs and economic reasons and people belonging to either of these countries to contribute to various projects that would uplift the economy of both countries.
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The government of India stated that the MoU will support the innovation ecosystem in both countries by allowing the free flow of talents in both countries. The Ministry of External Affairs, India will closely monitor the effective implementation of MoU the through Joint Working Group mechanism.
The MoU is signed with a vision to see both UK and India benefit from the new scheme and help young professionals to work and live in both countries in harmony. Both countries will work closely to boost work visas for Indians and enhance migration cooperation between both countries. The agreement will help thousands of Indians in the age group of 18 to 30 years to find work and live in the UK for upto two years.
The 2030 Roadmap for India and UK relations will help better the relationship to a "comprehensive strategic partnership".
In a joint statement, PM Narendra Modi and UK counterpart Boris Johnson said that it will lead to the beginning for a promising new era for both the countries.
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The UK will also promote opportunities for Indian students in the UK to stay in the country and undertake skilled work through the graduate route.
Students enrolled at higher education institutions will also be able to take up internships or placements for up to 1 year in the opposing country.
The British High Commissioner, Alex Ellis said in an address to Indian officials that the new partnership will help create new opportunities for young Indian professionals in the UK and will also enhance cooperation between the two countries to ensure a support system for talented students and workers.
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