Indians have become the largest property-owning community in London, a report from leading property developer Barratt London reveals. This development has drawn mixed reactions on social media with comparisons to Britain's colonial past.

Indian property owners in London

Indian property buyers in London fall into the following groups, according to the report: 

  1. Long-term UK residents of Indian origin
  2. Non-resident Indians (NRIs) investing from abroad
  3. Foreign investors seeking high returns.
  4. People coming to the land for education purposes.

The tweet, posted from the official X account of BRICS, racked up more than 15 million views in merely two days.

Social media reacts: A dose of “karma”

Quite a few internet users drew upon India's own colonial past. One user made the following commentary,

"At least Indians did it legally, not like the ‘Englishmen’ who were a mafia of thugs that occupied subcontinent India."

Another pointed out, "It's just karma," as a way of noting the irony in Indians legally acquiring parts of Britain after hundreds of years of conquest.

A number of comments also reignited debates about the British colonial legacy. Users noted that more than 90% of the artifacts of the British Museum were looted from India. One commenter added:

"The English should return the 45 trillion worth of wealth they stole from India. The Kohinoor diamond in their king's crown belongs to India."

Another added an interesting linguistic observation:

"The British looted so much from India that the word ‘loot’ entered the English language from Hindustani."

Are Indians largest in value and space?

While Indians may now hold the highest number of properties, some questioned whether they also lead in terms of value and size. One English user asked:

"Do they hold the highest total value (£) and footprint (sqm)? Perhaps the English or Russians still hold the no. 1 spot?"

Why London?

London has actually been a favorite destination of Indian investors long ago. The reason is that its real estate market is stable and long-term. Apart from these, several Indian celebrities, including Shahrukh Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, Shilpa Shetty, and Sourav Ganguly, own homes in the city, highlighting its appeal among India’s elite.

From being under colonial rule to owning a major share of London's properties, Indians' growing presence in the UK capital symbolizes a historic reversal of roles. As one user aptly put it,

"They once owned half the world, and now they own less than half of London."