Britain is deepening its anti–visa fraud efforts in India, expanding its pilot programme from Punjab to Tamil Nadu to curb fake visa rackets and stop illegal migration at the source. The initiative was launched in Chennai during Indo-Pacific Minister Seema Malhotra’s visit this week, marking a new phase of UK–India cooperation on border security and migrant protection.
As part of the campaign, the UK has introduced targeted outreach in high-risk districts and rolled out a Tamil-language WhatsApp chatbot to help travellers verify documents, spot scams and avoid fraudulent agents. Officials say the move builds on encouraging results from the Punjab pilot introduced earlier this year.
The expansion aligns with Britain’s tightening of migration and asylum procedures. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood recently announced major reforms to curb misuse of asylum routes and crack down on criminal networks trafficking vulnerable people into the UK.
The Tamil Nadu initiative is closely linked to the UK–India Vision 2035 framework, which prioritises reducing irregular migration and dismantling organised crime networks involved in exploitation. Malhotra’s India trip is also aimed at advancing the recently finalised UK–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which is projected to boost the UK’s GDP by £4.8 billion annually, raise wages by £2.2 billion, and increase bilateral trade by £25.5 billion.
Malhotra will meet with major British companies operating in Chennai and Bengaluru — including Tesco, Revolut and BT — to understand how the FTA is influencing investment and business growth.
“This government is acting to stem the flow of illegal migration at its source – using campaigns targeted at hotspot areas to prevent visa fraud and keep people safe while securing our borders,” Malhotra said. She added that her visit would also highlight how the new FTA is set to create thousands of jobs and drive investment back into the UK.
Following her India visit, Malhotra will travel to the Maldives to review UK-supported climate adaptation projects, such as a mangrove conservation programme in Huraa. She will meet senior Maldivian ministers handling foreign affairs, environment and defence to strengthen cooperation on clean energy, maritime security and counterterrorism — a dialogue that coincides with 60 years of UK–Maldives diplomatic ties.
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