Indian-origin minister calls for Brexit to boost India-UK ties

Prime Minister David Cameron's Indian Diaspora Champion on Tuesday said that UK-India relations will be strengthened if Britain leaves the European Union (EU).

Priti Patel, the senior-most Indian-origin member of Cameron's Cabinet, is part of the 'Leave' camp, which favours "Brexit" or Britain's exit from the EU in the referendum.

"Voting to leave the European Union would be a massive boost to UK-India relations. New opportunities for the UK and India to cooperate more closely and develop stronger trading links would emerge as the UK re-aligns its foreign policy and trade priorities," the 43-year-old employment minister said.

In a statement, she claimed the UK's membership of the EU has acted as a "barrier" to developing trade and investment partnerships and remaining within the EU will mean the UK will be in a "weaker position" to forge the closer trading ties that would benefit the Indian and UK economies.

"Within the EU we do not have our own trade policy and have suffered as a result of the EU s protectionist instincts and inward-looking and outdated looking approach to global politics. But by leaving the EU we can take back control over this vital area of policy," she said.

While praising her Conservative-led government for enhancing the UK's ties with "dynamic and fast-growing" India, she stressed that things could go much further if the UK was not held back by the "vested self-interests of the EU".

"Indeed, one of the reasons why our trading links with India were inadequate when we came to Government in 2010 was because of the focus that Britain had given to trade within Europe as a result of membership of the EU," she said.

In her attempt to convince Indian Diaspora voters to vote for an exit in the June 23 referendum, she also highlights how immigration from EU has had an impact on skilled immigrants from countries like India.

She said: "During the forthcoming referendum the Indian diaspora can vote to make a real and positive difference to the future of the UK and India by voting to leave the EU.

"Because we are unable to restrict migration from the EU, immigrants from non-EU countries have faced more restrictions to help ease the pressure from immigration. I know that many members of the Indian diaspora find it deeply unfair that other EU nationals effectively get special treatment. This can and will change if Britain leaves the EU."

On a personal note, she adds: "Leaving the EU will help reinvigorate relations between the UK and India. It will help the Indian diaspora living in the UK. As I was born and raised in an Indian family which owned local businesses, I know of the strong entrepreneurial spirit that is within our blood.

"The diaspora have a great reputation as business owners and entrepreneurs. However, like all businesses, they have been hit hard by bureaucracy, red tape and regulations from the EU."

Her comments are in contrast to Cameron's own assertion in Parliament yesterday that the UK could lose its "negotiating muscle" in future trade deals with countries like India in the event of Brexit.

"Country after country have said to me that of course they could sign trade deals with Britain but they also said that their priorities will be trade deals with EU," he said.