Action in all cases: MEA on UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman's overstay claim

New Delhi, October 7

The MEA and the Indian High Commission in London have rebutted Indian-origin UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s claim that the Migration and Mobility Partnership (MMP) had not “worked very well”.

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The High Commission said India had initiated “action in all cases” raised with it under the agreement. “As part of our wider discussions under Migration and Mobility, the Government of India is committed to working with the government of UK to facilitate the return of Indian citizens who have overstayed their visa period in the UK,” the High Commission said.

The MEA stressed all negotiations meant give and take. While not willing to get into compulsions of UK’s domestic perspective, it maintained that India was fulfilling its commitment “but still awaits demonstrable progress” from the UK side on certain commitments undertaken under the MMP signed last year by Braverman’s predecessor Priti Patel. “We strongly encourage legal migration. For overstay, there is a process for people to come back after establishing their identities,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. He said both sides were interested in concluding the FTA at the earliest. “Diwali was set as a goal… intensive discussions are continuing,” he added. Braverman had said Indians were the “largest group of people who overstay” in the UK.