The India Club was formally set up in 1951[3] to serve this purpose, under the leadership of V. K. Krishna Menon; founding members included Lady Mountbatten and Jawaharlal Nehru.

[6] The India League ran a Free Legal Advice Bureau at the club, which served as a welcoming base for newly arrived migrants from the Indian sub-continent during the mid-twentieth century.

[6] The building retained original colonial features from the time of occupation by the India League.

Portraits and photographs of famous historical figures from the Indian independence movement adorned the walls.

[8][9] In September 2017 plans were submitted to Westminster City Council for the building to be partially demolished, replacing the India Club with en-suite hotel bedrooms.