UK's Indo-Pacific Minister Seema Malhotra has defended her government's immigration proposals during a visit to India, while expressing concern about a rise in foreign students seeking asylum at the end of their studies.
Under the new plans, some migrants could have to wait up to 20 years before they can settle permanently in the UK and the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain will be extended from five to 10 years.
The proposals will apply to an estimated 2.6 million people who arrived in the country since 2021. They have drawn criticism from some quarters, including a few Labour MPs, even though the Conservatives gave the measures a cautious welcome.
The reforms are in line with what countries around the world do to stop the abuse of their immigration systems, Malhotra told the BBC in Chennai, adding that there was a very strong message we also send, which is that we welcome those coming legally.
According to Malhotra, some 16,000 international students from across the world had applied for asylum in the UK last year after completing their courses, which she said was evidence of abuse of legal migration routes.
A further 14,800 students sought asylum this year to June 2025, as per the latest Home Office figures. It is unclear how many of them are Indian nationals.
We've seen visa abuse in the case of legal routes, where people have gone legally and then sought to overstay when their visas weren't extended, Malhotra added.
If you see that level of abuse, it undermines your immigration system. It undermines public confidence, and the fairness and control people expect.
India remains one of the UK's biggest sources of international students, but demand is cooling, with the number of Indian students heading to the UK falling by 11% from last year due to tougher immigration rules.
The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford reported India as the top country of origin for foreign students in the UK for the 2023-2024 academic year, accounting for 25% of arrivals.
While Malhotra stated that Britain continues to very much welcome Indian students, her government is collaborating with universities to ensure they are genuine.
She mentioned that the recent free trade agreement (FTA) between the UK and India encourages UK universities to establish campuses in India, citing Liverpool University's plans to open a campus in Bengaluru in 2026.
The FTA, signed in July after lengthy negotiations, is projected to boost the UK's GDP by £4.8 billion annually and expand bilateral trade by £25.5 billion.
Despite the trade ambitions, the domestic political climate has turned tough regarding migration. During an October visit to India, Sir Keir Starmer stated that the UK would not relax visa rules for Indian professionals, despite calls for easier mobility.
Nevertheless, Malhotra emphasized that the UK granted nearly half a million visas to Indian nationals last year across work, study, and visitor categories.
The government's proposal to overhaul the immigration system is part of a broader initiative to show stricter control over borders, but it has faced backlash from some MPs regarding its impact on sectors like healthcare and social care.
While the reforms are under consultation, Malhotra has indicated that routes for migrant professionals with essential skills will be expanded.
A survey by the Royal College of Nursing warned that up to 50,000 nurses could leave the UK under the government’s proposed immigration rules, notably affecting the nursing sector where many staff are internationally educated, predominantly from India.
Malhotra affirmed that the UK is enhancing efforts to protect individuals from cross-border visa scams and is coordinating with Indian law enforcement to combat these issues.
