Indian cabinet approves MoU with UK on illegal migrants ahead of Modi trip

NEW DELHI: India in a significant move ahead of PM Narendra Modi's trip to London on April 18-19 has approved a MoU to facilitate the deportation of alleged illegal Indian immigrants in the UK to India and vice-versa.

This would be a highlight at the PM's two-day trip to U.K. for bilateral trip and Commonwealth Summit.

The pact was approved by India on Wednesday. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Modi gave its approval to the MoU between India and the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland on the return of Illegal Migrants, according to a government statement.


It will ensure the return of persons who have no lawful basis to be in the territory of the other Party after verification of nationality to its satisfaction, persons familiar with the matter told ET.

This will also help in streamlining the procedure of return of nationals who are caught to be staying illegally, belonging to the other party in a specified time-frame.

The MoU on the other hand will also facilitate that the Visa Free Agreement for holders of Diplomatic passports as well as liberalization of UK Visa Regime for those who are travelling to the UK legally, after conclusion of the MoU. There are instances of some Indians staying illegally after reaching UK by hiding their passports.

While U.K. claims that number of illegal migrants was in thousands, India found out only 2,000 Indians overstaying.

During his trip to London the PM will have private audience with the Queen besides a session with diaspora which will be in a Q and A format. However, protests by Sikhs and Kashmiris sponsored allegedly by Pakistan during PMs trip will be a sore point in bilateral ties.