Highlights
- Indo-Pacific minister addresses immigration concerns during Chennai visit.
- 16,000 students applied for asylum in UK after finishing studies last year.
- Indian student numbers to UK drop 11 per cent amid tougher immigration rules.
Britain’s Indo-Pacific minister Seema Malhotra has stood by the government’s immigration reforms while visiting India, highlighting concerns over international students who claim asylum after their courses end.
During her visit to Chennai, Malhotra told the BBC that the reforms were “in line with what countries around the world do” to stop abuse of immigration systems. She stressed there was a “very strong message we also send, which is that we welcome those coming legally”.
The minister disclosed that roughly 16,000 international students worldwide had filed asylum applications in the UK following the completion of their studies last year, describing this trend as clear evidence of legal pathway abuse. Latest Home Office data indicates an additional 14,800 students made similar asylum claims between January and June 2025.
Student number drops
India continues to be a major source of international students for UK institutions, representing a quarter of all foreign student arrivals in 2023-2024. Despite this, interest appears to be waning, with an 11 per cent decline in Indian student applications from the previous year as stricter immigration measures come into force.
This downturn has raised alarm amongst British universities already facing financial pressures and dependent on international student revenue.
Malhotra said while Britain still “very much welcomes” Indian students, her government was working with universities to ensure they are genuine foreign students. She rejected the idea that the UK seeks enhanced trade relationships with India while restricting access for Indian professionals, pointing to nearly 500,000 visas issued to Indian citizens last year covering employment, education and visitor purposes.
The UK is moving towards a “contribution-based” immigration system, where settlement depends on a person’s economic contribution rather than length of residence, Malhotra explained. She also highlighted that the recently concluded free trade agreement between the UK and India had encouraged UK universities to open local campuses in India, with 9 institutions cleared to set up campuses across the country.
