Reverse Colonialism? UK sees massive boom in migrant populations even as local birth rates decline, with Indians leading the pack

The UK's population growth story in 2023 has a spicy twist that might bring delight to any Indian students worried about feeling alienated in the country. According to the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS), the country's population grew by 1% to reach 68.3 million, largely due to net international migration, which hit record levels. Not only does this mark the biggest annual rise since the post-World War II era, the vast majority of these immigrants were Indians!

England and Wales alone saw a combined increase of 610,000 people in a single year, the most significant jump in 75 years. Compare that to 2015 when net migration was just 329,000 before the Brexit referendum, and it's clear how dramatically the landscape has shifted.

From Europe to India

What’s really turning heads, though, is the shift in where these migrants are coming from. Post-Brexit, the number of European Union migrants has dropped, but in their place, there’s been a rise in immigration from countries like India, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Indians, in particular, have become the lifeblood of essential sectors in the UK, taking on roles in health and social care that are critical to keeping the nation ticking.
In fact, Indians have consistently ranked as one of the largest groups of migrants globally, particularly in countries like the UK and the U.S. According to ONS data, Indian nationals made up the highest number of non-EU immigrants to the UK in the year ending June 2023, with 253,000 individuals migrating. This figure was significantly higher than any other non-EU nationality.

Natural population decline and political pushback

Meanwhile, the main point of surprise is that the UK’s natural population growth is actually headed in the opposite direction, with births declining faster than anticipated. The difference between births and deaths saw a drop of 16,300, a trend the ONS had only expected to start in the mid-2030s. This puts even more pressure on migration as the primary way to sustain population growth.
However, as more Indians and other non-EU migrants make the UK their home, the political landscape is heating up. Far-right groups have taken to the streets, arguing that the influx is putting pressure on public services that have already been stretched thin by years of underinvestment. Fortunately for those keen on moving there, the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government has responded with a softer stance on migration, dropping controversial policies like the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda

But here’s the twist: despite all the hype around migration crises, irregular migration numbers have remained relatively stable. Between 2016 and 2023, the estimated number of irregular migrants in the UK, including trafficking victims and undocumented migrants, was between 594,000 and 745,000. So while internal headlines may scream about a tidal wave of migrants, the reality is far less dramatic.

For Indians looking at this from afar, the UK's changing face might feel like a bit of deja vu. Once the British Empire stretched into India; now it’s as if Indians are slowly and surely stretching back into the UK, adding to the multicultural fabric. With fewer Europeans making their way to the UK, it’s almost like Indians are picking up where they left off, only this time, the spices, stories, and innovations are flowing the other way.