Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Envoy Doraiswami discusses key UK-India issues at Conservative Friends of India event

Besides reinstating e-visas, ways for improving the two nations’ bilateral relations, especially in the fields of geo-political and climate change, were taken up.

Envoy Doraiswami discusses key UK-India issues at Conservative Friends of India event

The Conservative Friends of India (CF India) on Thursday (24) hosted an exclusive roundtable session for the UK's Conservative MPs with the Indian high commissioner to London, His Excellency Vikram Doraiswami.

Over 25 parliamentarians, including former ministers Dr Liam Fox, Ranil Jayawardena, Vicky Ford, Greg Clarke and regular supporters such as Bob Blackman and Dean Russel, attended the event.


During the meeting, the MPs called for e-visas to be reinstated, an issue they have been lobbying CF India to address since last year.

CF India roundtable conference Participants, including Indian high commissioner to UK HE Vikram Doraiswami (C) and British parliamentarians at a roundtable conference hosted by Conservative Friends of India on November 24, 2022.(Picture: Conservative Friends of India)

This aim is to reduce delays in visa-processing times and erase difficulties in securing visa appointments.

Other topics discussed at the event included further development of UK-India relations, especially in the fields of geo-political and climate change.

The high commissioner on the occasion congratulated CF India on the role it played in strengthening bilateral links between the UK and India.

More For You

South Asian WW2 veterans

The commemoration event honoured two South Asian WW2 veterans who died this year, Havildar Major Rajindar Singh Dhatt MBE and Sergeant Mohammad Hussain.

X/@britishfuture

South Asian WW2 veterans honoured at London commemoration

TWO South Asian Second World War veterans were honoured at a commemoration event in London on Wednesday, September 10. The ceremony paid tribute to Havildar Major Rajindar Singh Dhatt MBE and Sergeant Mohammad Hussain, who both died this year.

The event, hosted by British Future and Eastern Eye with support from the Royal British Legion, also launched My Family Legacy, a project to raise awareness of South Asian contributions in the world wars and preserve family stories for future generations.

Keep ReadingShow less
Phillipson, Powell in two-way Labour deputy leadership race

Bridget Phillipson (L), Lucy Powell (Photo: Getty Images)

Phillipson, Powell in two-way Labour deputy leadership race

IT WILL be a two-way contest between education secretary Bridget Phillipson and former Commons leader Lucy Powell for the post of Labour’s deputy leader after Emily Thornberry and Paula Barker withdrew from the race on Thursday (11).

Thornberry, who chairs the Commons foreign affairs committee, had secured 13 nominations from Labour MPs while Barker, the Liverpool Wavertree MP, had 14, well short of the 80 needed to progress.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nepal army hunts prisoners after mass jailbreaks in violent protests

Sabin Tamang, 20, who works in a restaurant and participated in a Gen-Z protest, holds up a shovel while posing for a photograph next to graffiti as he takes part in a cleaning campaign following Monday's deadly anti-corruption protests in Kathmandu, Nepal, September 10, 2025. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar

Nepal army hunts prisoners after mass jailbreaks in violent protests

NEPAL is facing its worst political and social crisis in decades after deadly protests toppled prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli earlier this week, leaving parliament in flames, thousands of prisoners on the run and the country’s leadership in limbo.

The protests, led largely by young people and dubbed the “Gen Z” movement, erupted after a controversial social media ban and quickly spread across the country. Demonstrators accused the government of corruption, lack of opportunities and failure to deliver reforms.

Keep ReadingShow less
Radhakrishnan

Modi’s ruling coalition nominated Radhakrishnan, 68, who is the governor of the western state of Maharashtra, as its candidate for the post.

X/@narendramodi

India elects BJP’s CP Radhakrishnan as vice president

INDIAN lawmakers elected CP Radhakrishnan, a former parliamentarian from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as the country’s new vice president on Tuesday. The election comes more than a month after the previous vice president resigned.

Jagdeep Dhankhar, whose term was to end in 2027, stepped down in July, citing health reasons.

Keep ReadingShow less
Peter Mandelson

Mandelson, 71, a veteran Labour politician and key figure in the party under former leader Tony Blair, had come under scrutiny after letters and emails to Epstein were published. (Photo: Getty Images)

Peter Mandelson removed as UK ambassador to US over Epstein links

PETER MANDELSON, the UK's ambassador to the United States, has been sacked over revelations about his friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the government said.

"The Prime Minister has asked the Foreign Secretary to withdraw him as ambassador," a foreign ministry statement said, adding that new messages showed "the depth and extent of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein".

Keep ReadingShow less