New Delhi: Lalit Modi, former chairperson of the Indian Premier League (IPL) announced Saturday that he is now a British citizen, almost 16 years after moving to the United Kingdom amidst a number of allegations regarding financial irregularities in the running of the cricket league.
Announcing his new citizenship Saturday, while speaking at the Oxford Union, Modi called the ceremony of receiving his British citizenship a “privilege and responsibility” that he is looking forward to “embracing with pride, gratitude and genuine belonging”.
“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,” Modi said in a statement on the micro-blogging platform X.
He added: “On 15 September 2026, surrounded by family and friends, I celebrated my British citizenship at a ceremony that will always hold a special place in my heart…My life’s journey has been shaped by different cultures and experiences, and I look forward to continuing to contribute positively to the country I proudly call home.”
Modi left India in 2010 for the United Kingdom, where he has remained since. The former chairperson of the IPL, has claimed in various interviews over the years that he left due to threats to his life from organised crime and other individuals.
🇬🇧 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
— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) November 14, 2026
The former IPL chairperson has pushed back against the tag of being a “fugitive”, asking for proof that he has been convicted in court cases. Most famously, Modi in 2025 announced that he is surrendering his Indian passport after receiving citizenship from the island country of Vanuatu.
The Prime Minister of Vanuatu Jotham Napat moved to cancel Modi’s citizenship in March 2025. In a statement to the media, Napat at the time said that Interpol “twice” rejecting India’s requests to issue an alert, should have “triggered an automatic rejection” of Modi’s citizenship application. Interpol rejected the alerts due to the lack of substantive judicial evidence.
“None of those legitimate reasons include attempting to avoid extradition, which the recent facts brought to light clearly indicate was Mr Modi’s intention,” Napat said in a statement on 11 March 2025, highlighting that gaining the citizenship of Vanuatu is a “privilege” and not a “right”.
Modi is wanted in cases relating to the alleged rigging of bids during the expansion of the IPL in 2010, which saw two new franchises added to the then eight-team league. The teams were awarded to the Sahara Group – Pune – and a consortium of investors including Shashi Tharoor’s late wife Sunanda Pushkar for Kochi.
India cancelled his passport in 2011 and has since sought his extradition from the United Kingdom. Former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had informed the Lok Sabha on 17 November 2016, that the formal extradition request was made to London in November 2012.
On 27 August 2014, the Indian government restored Lalit Modi’s passport at the directions of the High Court of Delhi. Legal proceedings regarding his return continued through 2025. Randhir Jaiswal, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs had on 23 June 2026, said that “legal proceedings are ongoing in the respective jurisdictions” with regards to Lalit Modi.
Since 1992 India and the United Kingdom have had an extradition agreement in operation, which allows for the extradition of nationals, under specific circumstances. The two countries also have a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, which was signed in 1995.
(Edited by Anupama Yadav)
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