London (The Hawk): In an effort to strengthen bilateral and commercial ties, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced that 3,000 Indians will be granted visas annually to come to the United Kingdom.
Under the new UK-India Young Professionals Scheme, the country will grant 3,000 spots annually to Indian nationals aged 18 to 30 with a bachelor's degree to live and work in the United Kingdom for up to two years.
The decision comes as Sunak meets Narendra Modi for the first time on the sidelines of the Indonesian G20 conference.
"The Indo-Pacific is becoming increasingly vital to our safety and prosperity. In a statement provided by the Prime Minister's Office, Sunak said, "The next decade will be characterised by what happens in this region, which is teeming with dynamic, fast-growing economies."
"I have firsthand knowledge of the immense value of our country's cultural and historical links with India. I am glad that a greater number of India's best young people will now be able to experience everything that living in the United Kingdom has to offer, and vice versa, so enriching our economies and societies."
The relationship will be reciprocal.
India accounts for over a quarter of all international students in the United Kingdom, and Indian investment in the United Kingdom supports 95,000 jobs across the country.
"The launch of the initiative is a momentous occasion for both our bilateral relationship with India and the UK's broader commitment to building deeper linkages with the Indo-Pacific region in order to strengthen both of our economies," read a statement from Downing Street.
The United Kingdom is also in the process of negotiating a trade pact with India, which would allow it to capitalise on the prospects given by India's burgeoning economy and expand the already 24 billion-pound economic connection between the two countries.
(Inputs from Agencies)