The Indian community in London distributed sweets as Rishi Sunak became UK PM
The Indian community in London celebrated Rishi Sunak's appointment as Britain's Prime Minister by distributing motichoor ladoos. At least 20 kg of ladoos were distributed to people. They got over in no time as the crowd grew bigger and bigger.
Mr Sunak, 42, is the first Indian-origin and Hindu leader to hold the top post in the UK and the youngest Prime Minister of Britain in over 200 years.
The Indian community also reacted to the appointment of Suella Braverman as the Secretary of State for the Home Department. The hardline interior minister quit last week over a technical breach of government rules.
"Suella Braverman is a talented person but she has said things not appropriate about Indians. But people do change. Working with Rishi Sunak, I am sure she will have a change of mind," an Indian-origin woman told NDTV in London.
An Indian-origin man, who was part of the crowd celebrating Mr Sunak's historic rise, said he believes the new Prime Minister will not raise taxes for the common people.
"I don't think Rishi Sunak will raise taxes. I believe he will find a way to recover the UK from its current economic situation," he told NDTV.
Another Indian-origin man, who said he has been living in the UK for 57 years, said he has never seen the UK in this particular situation before. "But today, Rishi represents a solution for this country, economically," he said, adding Mr Sunak will have to take some very tough decisions. "Of course, we are prepared for that," he said.
In his first order of business, Mr Sunak retained Jeremy Hunt as chancellor of the exchequer, bidding to keep financial markets on side after former Prime Minister Liz Truss's budget plans shocked investors, and also retained her foreign and defence ministers.
Addressing the nation after his appointment by King Charles III, Mr Sunak said the country faced "profound economic crisis". "I will unite our country -- not with words, but with action," Mr Sunak said, capping the latest extraordinary twist in UK politics since July, when Boris Johnson resigned.
Mr Sunak retained James Cleverly as foreign secretary and Ben Wallace in the defence brief, underscoring stability along with Mr Hunt's re-appointment.
Just days after she was forced out of Ms Truss's cabinet, hardline right-winger Suella Braverman was re-appointed as interior minister, in charge of policing and immigration control.