Page 15 - Rishi Sunak

Will UK's new visa rules impact Indian students? Here's what report says

Home Secretary Suella Braverman also announced that the government is mulling removing the ability for international students to switch to work visas before finishing their courses

Indian nationals bag top spot on UK's skilled worker, student visa tally

According to the data released, net migration in 2022 reached a record high of 606,000, adding pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who vowed to bring the numbers down

UK to soon disallow international students to bring dependants along

The move comes ahead of the official data, which is expected to show that legal migration has hit a record high of 700,000 this year

Modi, Sunak agree to work towards ambitious' FTA during talks in Japan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Rishi Sunak on Sunday reviewed the progress of the ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations and agreed for their trade teams to continue at pace towards an ambitious deal, Downing Street said. Modi and Sunak met on the sidelines of the summit of the G7 advanced economies here in Hiroshima. In their second in-person meeting since the G20 Summit in Indonesia last November, the two leaders are said to have discussed the deep ties shared between the nations. In relation to India's G20 presidency, Downing Street also indicated that the British Indian leader's first visit to India is expected to be for the G20 Summit in New Delhi later this year. The leaders reflected on the deep ties between the UK and India, rooted in our human connections, and the vital importance of democracy and fair and open trade, said a Downing Street spokesperson. "They discussed progress on a UK-India Free Trade Agreement. The leaders agreed that

PM Modi, British counterpart Sunak review bilateral strategic ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held productive talks with his British counterpart Rishi Sunak during which they reviewed bilateral strategic partnership, including progress in India-UK FTA negotiations. The two leaders also agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation across a wide range of areas such as trade and investment and science and technology. Modi and Sunak met on the sidelines of the summit of the G7 advanced economies here in Hiroshima. "A boost to - Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. PM @narendramodi held productive talks with PM @RishiSunak of the UK in Hiroshima. The two leaders reviewed their Strategic Partnership, including taking stock of progress in India-UK FTA negotiations," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) tweeted. Leaders agreed to deepen cooperation across a wide range of areas, such as trade & investment, science & technology, higher education, and people-to-people relationship, it said. India and the UK have been negotiating an FTA since ...

Rishi Sunak, Akshata Murty's fortunes take a hit in new rich list analysis

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and wife Akshata Murty, who made their UK rich list debut last year, lost around GBP 201 million since then as a result of a drop in the value of Murty's shares in Infosys, according to a media report on Friday. The couple has slipped from 222nd position in 2022 to 275th in this year's tally with an estimated wealth of GBP 529 million, largely attributed to the Indian software firm co-founded by Murty's father Narayana Murthy, claimed "The Sunday Times Rich List" 2023. The couple's most valuable asset has long been a shareholding in Infosys, an Indian IT giant set up by Murty's father, the rich list analysis said. Over the past year, their wealth has fallen by more than half a million pounds a day. When the pair made their debut on the Rich List 12 months ago, this stake was worth about GBP 690 million. Since then Infosys' shares have plummeted owing to lower revenues from its banking, tech and other clients, it noted. The annual compilation of ..

British PM Sunak welcomes Ukraine President Zelenskyy on surprise visit

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday laid out a warm welcome for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a surprise visit to the UK and reiterated his support for the war-torn European nation by offering further military support, including air defence missiles and armed drones. Downing Street said Zelenskyy updated Sunak on his meetings with European leaders over the weekend as Ukraine prepares for an intensified period of military activity. The visit also comes ahead of the Council of Europe Summit in Iceland, which Sunak is due to travel for this week ahead of a visit to Tokyo for the G7 Summit in Japan. This is a crucial moment in Ukraine's resistance to a terrible war of aggression they did not choose or provoke. They need the sustained support of the international community to defend against the barrage of unrelenting and indiscriminate attacks that have been their daily reality for over a year, said Sunak. We must not let them down. The frontlines of [Russian ...

Suella Braverman warns immigration threatens UK's 'national character'

'It's not racist for anyone, ethnic minority or otherwise, to want to control our borders,' said Braverman, whose parents are of Indian origin and emigrated to Britain from Kenya and Mauritius

Rishi Sunak expands role of UK pharmacies to cut GP waiting times

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who worked in his mother's pharmacy as a young boy growing up in Southampton, was back in his hometown on Tuesday to unveil plans for an expanded role for pharmacists to cut down long wait times for patients wanting to see a general practitioner (GP). The 42-year-old British Indian leader had his blood pressure checked at Weston Lane Surgery in the south-east England port city and got a clean chit as he spoke to reporters about the initiative to cut down waiting lists for the state-funded National Health Service (NHS), one of his government's top priorities. Patients with minor ailments like earache and sore throat would now be encouraged to go directly to their pharmacist, freeing up GPs for more serious illnesses. By expanding the role of pharmacies, fewer people will need to see their GP in the first place, said Sunak. Today's plans are expected to free up around 15 million GP appointments over the next two years for patients who need them most

UK PM Rishi Sunak, wife to host Coronation Big Lunch for community heroes

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and wife Akshata Murty will host a Coronation Big Lunch at Downing Street in London on Sunday for community heroes to celebrate the crowning of King Charles III and Queen Camilla as part of the country's long celebratory weekend. Among the invitees is British Sikh entrepreneur Navjot Singh Sawhney, who won the UK PM's Points of Light Award earlier this year for his eco-friendly hand-cranked Washing Machine Project, which is benefitting over 1,000 families without access to an electric machine in underdeveloped countries or refugee camps. The event is one of an estimated 50,000 Big Lunches or street parties being organised up and down the United Kingdom to celebrate the Coronation at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday. Also joining the Downing Street party will be Ukrainians forced to flee the war-torn country amid its conflict with Russia. Come rain or shine, thousands of friends and neighbours are coming together this weekend to put up the ..

UK PM Rishi Sunak reads from biblical book at multi-faith Coronation

Rishi Sunak on Saturday made history as the first Indian-origin British Prime Minister to perform a reading at the Coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey in London. The 42-year-old British Hindu leader read from the Epistle to the Colossians from the New Testament reflecting the theme of service to others, in keeping with the recent tradition of UK Prime Ministers giving readings at State occasions. He and his wife Akshata Murty, the daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, led the procession of flag-bearers as the UK's Union Jack flag was carried into the Abbey by a high-ranking Royal Air Force (RAF) cadet. In the Abbey where monarchs have been crowned for almost a thousand years, representatives of every faith will play a central role for the first time, said Sunak, in a statement on the eve of the historic event. The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be a moment of extraordinary national pride. Together with frie

Sunak faced devastating losses of over 1,000 Tory seats in local elections

The party had made surprising successes in Hertsmere, in Hertfordshire, the seat of the Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Dowden, where the Tories lost overall control of the Council

UK PM Rishi Sunak admits disappointing' first electoral test outcome

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday admitted it was a disappointing run for the governing Conservative Party, with the Opposition Labour and Liberal Democrat parties making significant gains in the local elections. Voters went to the polls on Thursday to elect local representatives in 230 of England's 317 councils in what marked Sunak's first electoral test at the ballot box since he took charge at 10 Downing Street in October 2022. Even as the results continue to be counted, Labour gained control of some of its top target councils including Medway in south-east England which has been under Tory control for 20 years. Pollsters had forecast that a loss of fewer than 1,000 seats for the governing Tories would be seen as a good result for Sunak, given that the government usually faces a drubbing in local polls close to a general election which is expected towards the second half of next year. However, that threshold seems set to be crossed and will add immense pressure on th

My daughter made her husband a PM: Rishi Sunak's mother-in-law Sudha Murty

Akshata Murty married UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in 2009 and the latter made a quick rise to power in the years that followed

Sunak, wife Akshata to lead with UK flag at King Charles III's Coronation

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty will be at the head of a procession of flag-bearers as the UK's flag is carried by a high-ranking Royal Air Force (RAF) cadet at the Coronation ceremony of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey in London on May 6, Buckingham Palace said on Friday. In a series of details released around the ceremonial roles to be carried out at the historic event when the 74-year-old monarch is formally crowned along with wife Camilla, the palace also confirmed that Indian-origin peers will be participating in the ceremony. They will represent the Hindu, Sikh and Muslim faiths as they hand over key elements of the royal regalia to King Charles. In keeping with this theme of diversity and inclusion for the Christian ceremony, one of the first processions into the Abbey will be made up of faith representatives of different religions. The first processions into Westminster Abbey will be made up of faith leaders and faith representatives ...

Tide to sponsor business trip of 16 small players from India, UK in 2023-24

The initiative aims to unlock opportunities for millions of existing and budding entrepreneurs who might want to export to and from India and the UK

UK PM commences evacuation of British nationals from strife-torn Sudan

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said his government has commenced a large-scale evacuation effort to help British nationals leave strife-torn Sudan from Tuesday. UK military flights are due to depart from an airfield outside the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, supported by senior diplomats from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Flights will be open to those with British passports and priority will be given to family groups with children and/or the elderly or individuals with medical conditions. "The government has begun a large-scale evacuation of British passport holders from Sudan on RAF flights. Priority will be given to the most vulnerable, including families with children and the elderly, Sunak said on Twitter. "I pay tribute to the British Armed Forces, diplomats and Border Force staff carrying out this complex operation. The UK will continue to work to end the bloodshed in Sudan and support a democratic government, he said. At this stage, the FCDO has sa

PM Rishi Sunak goes live on LinkedIn to promote UK's growth plans

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday joined a live question and answer session with a range of UK businesses as part of a new Business Connect programme, which he says will promote his economic growth priority and optimise the conditions for businesses in the country to thrive. Over 200 of the UK's highest-profile CEOs and business leaders, representing key growth sectors, including tech, life sciences and advanced manufacturing, gathered in London for the first Business Connect event to hear directly from Sunak. It came as Downing Street released the latest figures to show that 1,800 jobs a month have been created since October 2022 the month Sunak took charge in the wake of a disastrous mini-Budget which resulted in predecessor Liz Truss being deposed as Prime Minister. Since taking office, I've spoken to over 1,000 business people because they are the innovators and change-makers at the heart of our economy, supporting jobs, attracting investment and driving growth, sai

Burberry chief challenges Sunak over 'spectacular own goal' UK tourist tax

Sunak replied that he would listen to Murphy's concerns, while declining to comment on possible tax changes out of deference to Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt

Oliver Dowden named UK's new deputy prime minister, after Raab resigns

Dowden had been serving in Rishi Sunak's government as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Cabinet Office secretary before the new appointment