MP for Slough, Tan Dhesi, has been speaking to a number of airlines and officials about the possibility of setting up direct flights between London and Amritsar.

The Punjabi city of Amritsar is home to the Golden Temple, the principal holy site of the Sikh religion, yet no direct routes between the UK and Amritsar are available. Those seeking to travel there are left with the inconvenient options of first flying to Delhi and then doubling back to Amritsar, or picking up a connecting flight in other nations, such as Qatar.

Mr Dhesi has held meetings with David Hodges, the soon-to-be head of India operations for Virgin Airways, and Tara Naidu, head of European operations for Air India.

He said: “When I met with the finance minister of Punjab on my recent trip to India, he discussed incentivising airlines to create routes by letting them forgo the state aviation tax.

"So far, they’ve all taken on board my suggestions, and I’m very hopeful they will consider the new route.

"It would directly benefit the Punjabi diaspora, which makes up 15 per cent of the population of Slough, as well as benefitting tourists who may want to visit the Golden Temple.”