“Indian migration to the UK has occurred in four distinct waves since 1947, each consistent with the UK’s changing economic and labor needs,” a new white paper states, arguing that it has played a central role in shaping the modern British economy.Here & Now 365’s Manish Tiwari, in partnership with Aston University’s Aston India Centre, released the report, “Indian Diaspora Migration to the UK”, which tracks the evolution of Indian immigration.According to the study, the first wave came during the post-war labor shortage, “helped by postwar immigration from India.[ing] Address severe labor shortages in manufacturing, transport and public services and contribute to the foundation of the National Health Service. ” The second wave, which followed the expulsion of Asians from East Africa in the 1970s, “resulted in significant entrepreneurial activity and a renaissance of the local economy.”Many of these families established businesses that revitalized the local economy.As the UK economy transitions to a knowledge-based model, Indian immigrants are increasingly represented by skilled professionals. The white paper estimates that “Indian-born professionals are estimated to make up around 15% of the UK’s skilled workforce.” The fourth wave is considered strategically important in the post-Brexit and post-pandemic period. “Indian professionals are strategically important in addressing critical skills shortages,” the report states.The study describes the Indian diaspora as “one of the most economically successful ethnic minority groups in the UK” and highlights the community’s continued role in healthcare, technology and entrepreneurship.
