India pushes UK for extradition of Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi at G20

In a what appears to be a firm stand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated the need for the UK to expedite the extradition of fugitive Indian businessmen Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi, citing their significant financial crimes against India, PTI reported.

During his first meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the G20 summit, PM Modi emphasized the importance of resolving issues related to economic offenders.

Mallya, wanted for over Rs 9,000 crore in unpaid loans linked to Kingfisher Airlines, has been in the UK since 2016, evading extradition.

Meanwhile, Nirav Modi, accused of a Rs 13,000 crore fraud in the Punjab National Bank scam, has been in a London jail for five years, having lost his extradition appeal earlier.

The Modi-Starmer meeting also marked a significant step forward in UK-India relations, where the Indian Prime Minister announced two new Indian consulates in Belfast and Manchester to strengthen people-to-people ties.

Starmer, too, announced the relaunch of India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations in early 2025, a move expected to unlock mutual economic potential.

India's efforts to bring Mallya, Modi back
In January, a high-level delegation, including officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), National Investigation Agency (NIA), and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), was to engage with UK authorities to expedite their extradition and identify overseas properties tied to these economic offenders.

Under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), India and the UK are legally bound to share information on criminal investigations.