U.K. Minister discussed border security with Indian officials in April

The Hindu

4 days ago

While the U.K. Parliament is discussing a new Bill on immigration and border security, and enforcing tighter visa norms, Dame Angela Eagle, Minister of State (Home Office), the U.K., met Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan in April this year.
In the April 15 meeting, which was not publicised by either government, they are said to have discussed, among other things, faster verification and return of Indian migrants detained in the U.K. for illegal stay or entry, and action against criminal gangs.
According to the U.K. Home Office's data, from 2020-2025 (till March 31), as many as 2,471 Indians crossed the English Channel to arrive on small boats in the U.K.
From January 1-March 31 this year, as many as 86 Indians were apprehended by the British authorities while entering the country on small boats without proper documentation.
The U.K Home Office said that, in the past one year, there had been a 45% increase in Indian nationals detained by the immigration authorities, including people who were to be returned.
From April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2025, there were 'enforced returns' of at least 816 Indians; 1,500 Indians were denied entry at U.K ports; and 12,291 people returned voluntarily, U.K Home office data show.
'The U.K. and India have a close relationship on Home Affairs, as two democracies that respect and uphold the rule of law. The U.K's Minister of State at the Home Office, Dame Angela Eagle, travelled to Delhi and Chennai in April to discuss the breadth of the U.K.-India Home Affairs partnership,' a spokesperson of the British High Commission said, when asked about the contours of the meeting.
The U.K Bill seeks to create a framework of new and enhanced powers and offences to improve the U.K.'s border security, and to strengthen the asylum and immigration system. It also creates 'an array of new, stronger powers for law enforcement agencies to deal with, investigate and prosecute Organised Immigration Crimes (OIC), and it provides additional deterrents and penalties for criminals involved in OIC'.
During her visit, Ms. Eagle also signed a protocol with the Ministry of External Affairs to amend the 2021 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Migration and Mobility Partnership between India and the U.K..
According to the 2021 agreement, the time frame to verify the antecedents of a person who holds an Indian passport, and who has overstayed the visa, as not more than 30 days from the receipt of the request from the U.K. In instances where a person has acknowledged that he is an Indian but does not have a passport or a 'Visa Overstayer' document, the time limit to establish nationality is 90 days.