Indian Premier League founder Lalit Modi announced that he has acquired British citizenship after living in the United Kingdom for many years.
Modi shared the news on November 14 during an address at the Oxford Union, stating that the formal ceremony took place on September 15. The announcement coincided with the 78th birthday of King Charles III, a detail Modi highlighted in his statements on social media.
“The United Kingdom has been my home for many years. It is a country I have come to admire and appreciate deeply — its people, institutions, traditions and values,” Modi said, according to The Hindu.
Modi left India in May 2010 following his suspension by the Board of Control for Cricket in India amid allegations of financial irregularities in the IPL. A special court issued a non-bailable warrant against him in 2015 after he failed to respond to summonses from the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. Modi has consistently rejected the description of “fugitive,” maintaining that he has not been convicted of any criminal offence.
The announcement followed reports from Dainik Jagran MP CG regarding Modi’s acquisition of Vanuatu citizenship in 2025, which triggered the loss of his Indian citizenship under Indian law. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed at that time that Modi had applied to surrender his Indian passport through the Indian High Commission in London.
🇬🇧 A PROUD MOMENT. A NEW CHAPTER. Today, 14 November 2026, I had the honour of addressing the Oxford Union, where I publicly shared a very special and personal milestone. I AM PROUD TO BE A BRITISH CITIZEN. 🇬🇧 On 15 September 2026, surrounded by family and friends, I… pic.twitter.com/BKMyxegKkj
Public reaction across social media platforms varied sharply. Livemint reported that while users debated the broader implications of his residency and past legal controversies, former cricketer Kevin Pietersen offered a direct welcome.
“Welcome, buddy,” Pietersen wrote, as cited by Livemint.
Legal proceedings concerning Modi’s status and investigations in India have continued through recent years, though his new British citizenship marks a distinct shift in his personal circumstances abroad.
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