India happy with UK move to scrap 3,000-pound visa bond scheme

NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday said it was happy that UK government has taken on board its "concerns" over the proposed 3,000-pound visa bond scheme and asserted that people-to-people contacts provide strength and durability to the long standing warm and friendly bilateral ties.

Soon after media reports on the proposed visa bond scheme came to the Government's attention earlier this year, India responded promptly by raising the matter with the UK Government.

"Our views on the subject were conveyed to the UK Government at different levels, including by Hon'ble Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma in his meetings in June 2013 during his visit to London.

"These were once again discussed during the India-UK Comprehensive Dialogue on Visa Related Issues held in London in July 2013," Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs said here.

"We are happy to learn that UK Government has taken on board our concerns as well as concerns expressed by other quarters.

"UK and India have a strategic partnership. People-to- people contacts provide strength and durability to our long standing warm and friendly ties with the UK," he said.

India's response came after the UK officially announced its decision to scrap the controversial 3,000-pound visa bond scheme for some "high risk" overseas visitors to the UK including those from India which was scheduled to be implemented on a pilot scale this month.

The move comes ahead of Prime Minister David Cameron's third visit in two years to India on November 14.

Cameron, who will make a day-long visit before heading to Sri Lanka to attend Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) on November 15-16, will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on key bilateral and regional issues.