Two hundred and fifty nurses and doctors will be coming to Wales under a new agreement between Welsh Government and the Kerala Government.

This is part of Wales In India, a year-long series of events celebrating the connection between the two countries. It was launched last week to celebrate St David's Day.

The minister for health and social services, Eluned Morgan, has signed an agreement with the Government of Kerala to bring qualified healthcare professionals from India to work in NHS Wales.

She said: "International recruitment, alongside our investment and commitment to home grown healthcare staff, is one of the ways we can fill the workforce gaps and rely less on agency staff.

"Kerala has a long history of training health care professionals and supporting them to come to Wales. I have seen first-hand the tremendous impact these dedicated nurses, doctors and other health care staff have had on our health care services and it was an honour to meet some of Wales’ future workforce as they prepare to come to Wales."

The Welsh government said over 400 internationally educated nurses were recruited from overseas through a nationally delivered programme last year.

They also said a further cohort of internationally educated nurses as well as medical staff will be recruited this year alongside a £5 million programme to support targeted recruitment including further ethical international recruitment.