Keir Starmer will travel to India during October 8-9 for his first official visit to the country against the backdrop of widespread churn on the global stage. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will visit India next week to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review bilateral relations and drive business and economic relations, the external affairs ministry said on Saturday.
Starmer will travel to India during October 8-9 for his first official visit to the country against the backdrop of widespread churn on the global stage due to the policies of the US administration. The two PMs will meet in Mumbai on October 9 to assess the progress in different aspects of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership in line with “Vision 2035”, a focused and time-bound 10-year roadmap of programmes and initiatives.
This roadmap includes key pillars such as trade and investment, defence and security, technology and innovation, climate and energy, health, education and people-to-people relations. Modi and Starmer will also engage with businesses and industry leaders on opportunities presented by the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as a “central pillar of the future India-UK economic partnership”, the external affairs ministry said.
They will also discuss regional and global issues.
Modi and Starmer will attend the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai and deliver keynote addresses. They will also engage with industry experts, policymakers and innovators.
Starmer’s visit will build on the momentum generated by Modi’s trip to the UK in July, when the two sides finalised the free trade agreement, which is expected to come into effect next year. The FTA is expected to boost two-way commerce by $35 billion in the long run, cut tariffs on goods ranging from textiles to whisky and enhance market access. The visit will also “provide a valuable opportunity to reaffirm the shared vision of India and the United Kingdom to build a forward-looking partnership”, the ministry said.
Modi and Starmer will meet amid unprecedented geopolitical and geo-economic turbulence caused by the Trump administration’s trade and tariff policies. In May, the UK agreed on the general terms of a non-binding trade deal with the US that seeks to lessen the impact of American tariffs, while India and the US recently resumed talks on a bilateral trade agreement.
India’s campaign against terrorism, the activities of pro-Khalistan elements in the UK and the return of economic offenders and fugitives wanted by New Delhi are also expected to figure in discussions during the upcoming visit, people familiar with the matter said.
