An Imperial Legacy: Charting the Centuries-Long Migration of Indians to Britain

The presence of Indians on British soil is a story far older than commonly perceived, its roots deeply entangled with the sinews of the British Empire. This migration did not begin with the post-war boom but traces its origins to the 17th century, when the East India Company’s activities brought the first sailors (lascars) and domestic servants (ayahs) to Britain’s shores. Their existence was often precarious; many were abandoned and left destitute, a harsh reality that led a missionary to establish the ‘Stranger’s Home for Asiatics, Africans and South Sea Islanders’ in 1857 to prevent them from perishing on London’s streets.

A palpable shift occurred in the mid-19th century, heralding the dawn of a more formal diaspora with the arrival of students and political thinkers. Luminaries such as Mahatma Gandhi (studied law in London, 1887-1890) and Jawaharlal Nehru were part of this intellectual wave, culminating in the landmark election of Dadabhai Naoroji to the UK Parliament in 1892. The most substantial waves, however, crashed onto British shores following India’s independence in 1947. Propelled by the British Nationality Act of 1948 and acute labour shortages, thousands were recruited to power UK industries. A pivotal influx occurred in 1972 with the expulsion of industrious Asians from Uganda. The contemporary chapter is defined by a skills-based migration, with provisional data for the year ending June 2024 showing 240,000 people immigrating from India, many under skilled worker visas.