UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Kicks Off Trade-Focused Visit to India

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer arrived in Mumbai today for his first official visit to India, leading the largest ever UK trade delegation to the country. The two day trip, at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is primarily focused on accelerating the implementation of the landmark India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and strengthening the strategic partnership between the two nations.

The Prime Minister’s visit, scheduled for October 8-9, is a direct follow-up to Prime Minister Modi’s trip to the UK in July, where the Free Trade Agreement was formally signed. Speaking to business delegates in Mumbai, Prime Minister Starmer stressed the urgency of the deal, stating he wants it to be implemented "as quickly as humanly possible," calling it the UK's largest post-Brexit trade achievement. The deal is projected to boost bilateral trade by an estimated $£ 25.5$ billion per year and is a central pillar of the joint 'Vision 2035' roadmap for cooperation in trade, technology, defence, and security.

The 125 strong UK delegation comprises chief executives, businessmen, and academic leaders from major companies, including Rolls-Royce and British Telecom, underscoring the visit’s commercial focus. Starmer is scheduled to hold a bilateral summit meeting with Prime Minister Modi tomorrow, October 9, in Mumbai to review the progress of the 'Vision 2035' roadmap. The leaders are also set to deliver keynote addresses at the 6th edition of the Global Fintech Fest, where they will engage with industry experts and policymakers.

A notable point of discussion ahead of the trip has been visa policy. Prime Minister Starmer, speaking to reporters on his flight, explicitly stated that the new trade agreement does not include any further changes to visa restrictions for Indian professionals or students, insisting the focus remains solely on business-to-business engagement and investment, not visa liberalisation. Despite this stance, Starmer did visit the Yash Raj Films studios on his first day in Mumbai, announcing that the Indian studio plans to shoot three major productions in the UK starting in 2026.

The two leaders are expected to exchange views on regional and global issues, with officials suggesting topics such as global trade tensions and the situation in Gaza are also on the agenda for their meeting. The visit is seen as a crucial step in operationalising the trade agreement and solidifying a forward looking, comprehensive strategic partnership between the two world powers.

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