The United Kingdom has announced its plan to India to its list of safe states, a move that effectively limits asylum rights for illegal migrants from the country. The decision, announced by the UK Home Office on Wednesday, aims to streamline immigration procedures and enhance border control measures. Over the past year, the UK has witnessed a rise in small boat arrivals from India and Georgia, prompting the government to reassess its approach to asylum seekers from these countries, according to the Home Office.

“We must stop people making dangerous and illegal journeys to the UK from fundamentally safe countries,” said UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman.

“Expanding this list will allow us to more swiftly remove people with no right to be here and sends a clear message that if you come here illegally, you cannot stay. We remain committed to delivering the measures in our Illegal Migration Act, which will play a part in the fight against illegal migration,” she added.

What does it mean for India?

The inclusion of India in the safe states list implies that the UK government considers the country to be generally safe, stable, and free from widespread human rights abuses, ruling out their chance of seeking asylum in Britain. As a result, Indians who travel from the country illegally will have their chances of seeking asylum in Britain diminish.

It will enable the detention and prompt return of individuals who enter the UK illegally, either to a safe third country or their country of origin.

Countries on the UK safe states list

Apart from India, the UK Home Office has decided to add Georgia to its list of safe states. Other countries deemed safe by the UK include Albania and Switzerland, as well as the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) states.

What next

The proposal will now undergo parliamentary scrutiny in the usual way via debates in both Houses of Parliament before it comes into force. The latest measures fall within the Illegal Migration Act 2023, which aims to “stop the boats” by changing the law so that people who come to the UK illegally can be detained and then swiftly returned to a safe third country or their home country.