MUCH attention was lavished last week (Oct 24) on the fact that Rishi Sunak became the United Kingdom’s first non-white prime minister, having been born to South-east African-born Hindu parents of Indian Punjabi descent.

The symbolism of Sunak’s elevation represents an important moment in UK history, and coincides with a time when the government hopes to close off a big trade deal with India in coming weeks. Last Thursday (Oct 27), UK Trade Minister Greg Hands said in the House of Commons that most of the trade pact – in all, 16 chapters across 26 policy areas – have been agreed so far. A bilateral trade deal is a key potential prize for both London and New Delhi, which have ties dating back to the British Empire. This long relationship has been given new vitality by Sunak’s elevation to 10 Downing Street, with both of his grandfathers born in the Punjab province before emigrating to East Africa and then the UK in the 1960s, becoming part of the estimated 1.5 million Indian diaspora population in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Both Sunak and Indian leader Narendra Modi attach high importance to ties. One signal of the importance the UK places on its relations with New Delhi is shown by UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly’s visit to India in recent days to meet Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.