There are close cultural and economic ties between the The United Kingdom and India. However, the two Countries are at odds over immigration. The Indian Finance Minister, Palaniappan Chidambaram, has warned that Britain would be the “loser” if immigration laws are not relaxed to make it easier for Indians to work in the UK.

Since 5 December 2006 it has become more difficult for many overseas workers to obtain the coveted HSMP visa in the UK. This is a sore point between the two nations at a time when both are looking at forging closer economic ties. However, it should be noted that there is no quota on the number of skilled professionals allowed into the UK under the HSMP or work permit scheme.

Recent comments during a trip to India from Gordon Brown, UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, about raising caps on foreign investment, were considered a bit absurd by some business commentators because his government had just made sweeping changes to the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP), affecting several thousand Indians. Indians are the largest national group affected by the changes.

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