I understand Schengen visas for Indians can be less time/cash/effort consuming than the UK version: and among the Schengen nations there are some that will be known as easier than others. A well qualified friend got an Italian-sourced visa but baulked at the additional cost, faff and uncertainty in the application for a UK visa. So we plan to meet up in Amsterdam.

There'll be similar cases, adding up to a loss in potential revenue to UK tourism from Indian visitors, but it's hard not to see that loss dwarfed by the one India experiences from discouraging visitors from the UK.

Whatever Modi is hoping to secure from the UK government, visa tit-for-tat seems to represent a particularly weak bargaining chip …… and something of an own-goal.