From Dadabhai to Downing Street, the evolution of Indians in British politics

For nearly three centuries, the politics of India has been entwined with those of the United Kingdom, with the balance of power firmly in the hands of the latter. However, incrementally, the all-encompassing British Empire now is a shadow of its former self, with the political landscape of the country evolving.

The most recent example of this is former British finance minister Rishi Sunak, a grandchild of British Indian immigrants, who is in the running to replace Boris Johnson as the next UK Prime Minister.

According to the 2011 census of England and Wales, there were 1.4 million people of Indian origin residing in the UK, accounting for 2.5 per cent of the overall population. Indians have been migrating to Britain for centuries, but the two most significant waves occurred after Independence.