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India and UK sign letters to formalise Young Professional Scheme

India and the United Kingdom marked the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on 9 January 2023 by exchanging letters to formalise the Young Professionals Scheme. Vikram K Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to the UK and Matthew Rycroft, the permanent secretary at the Home Office of the UK inked and exchanged letters for formalising the scheme at the High Commission of India in London.

The scheme, signed by both the nations allows up to 3,000 graduates (in age bracket of 18-30) to get a two-year visa to study in each other’s countries and pave a way for the youth to understand the culture of one another.

According to the British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis, this is the first time that the UK has done this with a visa-national country like India. "More details to follow in coming weeks both about the British scheme and the Indian scheme,” said the British High Commissioner, calling the development a great opportunity.

The launch of the 'Young Professionals' scheme was announced in November last year at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, when UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and PM Narendra Modi had met and held talks for the first time. The idea of the scheme was first conceived as part of an India-U.K. Migration and Mobility MoU which was signed in May 2021.

India and the UK share a multi-dimensional strategic partnership. When PM Modi met his UK counterpart Rishi Sunak on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, the two leaders held discussions on various important sectors of collaboration including defence, trade, mobility and security. During the meeting, both the leaders leaders had also expressed satisfaction at the status of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and progress on the Roadmap 2030 for Future Relations, the Ministry of External Affairs had stated in an official statement.

 

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