Rishi Sunak, the first British Prime Minister of Indian descent, has expressed his excitement about returning to a country close to his heart after more than three years.
Mr. Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty received a warm welcome in India for the G20 leaders’ summit this morning, as traditional Indian festivities greeted them at Indira Gandhi Airport.
Mr. Sunak told reporters: “It is obviously special. I saw somewhere that I was referred to as India’s son-in-law, which I hope was meant affectionately.
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“I’m excited to be back. It is nice to have Akshata with me as well.”
The G-20 summit, which is set to address migration, the global economy, the Ukraine conflict, and climate change, is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
Mr. Sunak has addressed Russia’s actions in Ukraine and the Black Sea grain blockade, aiming to hold his Russian counterpart accountable for suffering caused.
Mr. Sunak is scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bilateral talks on the sidelines of the summit, potentially discussing progress on a UK-India free trade agreement.
The previous target for this agreement, set by Boris Johnson and later reaffirmed by Liz Truss, has been missed by almost a year, with speculation about visa issues as a possible obstacle.
‘Loyalty’ To UK Interests Questioned
In light of these developments, Ben Habib, a successful businessman and former MEP, raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest during Mr. Sunak’s visit to India.
Speaking to The Epoch Times via email, he questioned Mr. Sunak’s wife’s non-dom tax status and her choice to settle in India, raising questions about their “loyalty” to UK interests.
Additionally, he pointed out the controversy surrounding Mr. Sunak’s father-in-law’s company, Infosys, which stood in violation of sanctions on Russia yet benefited from them.
While Mr. Sunak has declared himself the “son-in-law” of India, others like Mr. Habib are concerned about potential special favours being granted in the new Indian trade deal, due to these perceived conflicts of interest.
Mr. Habib said: “In April last year his exceptionally rich wife, Akshata Murty, hit the headlines over her non-dom tax status.
“That status potentially obviated the need for her to pay substantial UK taxes on her shares in Infosys, an Indian software giant founded by her billionaire father. Me. Sunak was at pains to say she had in fact paid all her British taxes.”
He continued: “The other aspect of being a non-dom is declaring that you wish eventually to settle in another country. In her case, not surprisingly, she chose India. So what was her true intention?”
The G-20 summit brings together leaders from the world’s 20 largest economies, including the European Union, China, the United States, Brazil, and Russia. Mr. Sunak’s focus during the summit will be on addressing Russia’s actions in Ukraine and its impact on global food supplies.
Mr. Habib added that while Mr. Sunak’s comments about India upon landing were a “sweet sentiment,” they were, “not one that should be held by a British prime minister.”
Visa Increase Denied
During a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Home Secretary Suella Braverman was reported to have expressed concerns over India’s reported desire for relaxed immigration controls.
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