The UK approved 3,000 visas for Indian nationals just hours after Modi and Sunak met.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has approved a scheme that will provide 3,000 visas to young professionals from India each year to work in the UK. According to 10 Downing Street, the scheme will offer 18-30-year-old degree-educated Indian nationals a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a professional and cultural exchange. The reciprocal route is scheduled to open in early 2023.

The UK Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement, “India is the first visa-national country to benefit from such a scheme, highlighting the strength of the UK-India Migration and Mobility Partnership agreed last year.”

The announcement came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with his British counterpart on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali. It was their first meeting since Sunak took over as president last month.

In a statement, Sunak stated that the “Indo-Pacific is becoming increasingly important for our security and prosperity.” It is teeming with dynamic, fast-growing economies, and what happens in this region will define the next decade.”

“I’ve seen firsthand the incredible value of our deep cultural and historical ties with India.” I am pleased that even more of India’s brightest young people will now be able to experience everything life in the UK has to offer – and vice versa – enriching our economies and societies.”

The Indian diaspora accounts for a sizable proportion of the UK’s immigrant population, with India accounting for nearly a quarter of all international students in the country.