British Prime Minister Keir Starmer began a two-day visit to India on Wednesday, joined by over a hundred leaders from the business, culture and university sectors in an effort to promote a recently signed trade deal.
This marks Starmer’s first official visit to India since taking office.
Calling it a “historic visit” featuring “the largest-ever trade delegation from the UK,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Starmer in a post on X, saying: “Welcome Prime Minister Keir Starmer on your historic first visit to India with the largest ever trade delegation from the UK. Looking forward to our meeting tomorrow for advancing our shared vision of a stronger, mutually prosperous future.”
Britain and India signed a free trade agreement in July during a visit by PM Modi, sealing a deal to cut tariffs on goods from textiles to whisky and cars, and allow more market access for businesses.
Talks on the trade pact were concluded in May after three years of stop-start negotiations, with both sides hastening efforts to clinch a deal in the shadow of tariff turmoil unleashed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
“During the visit …the two Prime Ministers will take stock of progress in diverse aspects of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in line with ‘Vision 2035’, a focussed and time bound 10-year Roadmap of programmes and initiatives in key pillars of trade and investment, technology and innovation, defence and security, climate and energy, health, education and people to people relations,” the Ministry of External affairs said in a statement.
“Both leaders will engage with businesses and industry leaders on opportunities presented by the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as a central pillar of the future India–UK economic partnership. They will also exchange views on issues of regional and global importance,” it added.
The deal between the world’s fifth- and sixth-largest economies aims to increase bilateral trade by a further 25.5 billion pounds ($34 billion) by 2040.
But the government has said that the projections were a floor, not a ceiling, to the ambition of the deal, and the visit with executives from the likes of oil major BP, engine maker Rolls-Royce, telecom firm BT, was aimed at maximising Britain’s biggest post-Brexit trade deal.
“It’s not just a piece of paper, it’s a launchpad for growth,” Starmer said, adding that India was projected to be the third-biggest economy in the world by 2028. “The opportunities waiting to be seized are unparalleled.”
Starmer will hold bilateral talks with PM Modi on Thursday. Both sides have said they are looking to ratify the deal and bring it into effect within the next year.
“Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Starmer will attend the 6th edition of the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai and deliver keynote addresses. The leaders will also engage with industry experts, policymakers and innovators,” the MEA said.
Growth is one of Starmer’s key priorities as he tries to reverse a slide in the polls, with a November fiscal budget expected to show a tricky fiscal picture.
British Airways, owned by IAG, said it would add a third daily flight from London’s Heathrow Airport to Delhi in 2026, while Manchester Airport also said it would add a Delhi route, operated by IndiGo.
The trip also features representatives from drinks maker Diageo and the Scotch Whisky Association, with the UK-India trade deal set to cut whisky tariffs faced by UK firms to 75% from 150%, before reducing them to 40% over the next decade.
The industry has been lobbying the UK government to reduce U.S. tariffs after a deal between the countries did not cover whisky.
(with inputs from Reuters)