Meeting With PM Modi, Trip To Film Studio: A Look At UK PM Keir Starmer's India Agenda

United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Mumbai on Wednesday for a two-day visit, months after New Delhi and London signed the landmark free trade agreement (FTA) after years of intense negotiations. The British Prime Minister was joined by a 125-member delegation that included top business leaders, including British Airways chief executive Sean Doyle.

During his trip, Starmer will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and address a fintech conference in Mumbai alongside him. The visit comes at a time when New Delhi and London are navigating major geopolitical realignments, particularly in their trade relations with the United States amid President Donald Trump's tariff policy.

What's On Starmer's Agenda?

Upon landing in Mumbai on Wednesday morning, Starmer was welcomed by the Governor of Maharashtra and Gujarat, Acharya Devvrat, along with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, along with other senior state officials, also greeted the UK Prime Minister at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

Later, in the evening, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is expected to call on him for discussions.

On the second day of his tour on Thursday, the British PM is scheduled to meet PM Modi at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai at 10:00 am, according to the Foreign Ministry. During the meeting, the two leaders will take stock of the progress made across all aspects of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in line with “Vision 2035” — a 10-year roadmap agreed between New Delhi and London alongside the FTA in July to build on the key pillars of the partnership.

Both leaders will later attend the CEO Forum and the 6th edition of the Global Fintech Fest in the city. There, the two leaders will engage with businesses and industry leaders on opportunities presented by the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement as a central pillar of the future India-UK economic partnership.

They will also exchange views on issues of regional and global importance. Both the leaders will also engage with industry experts, policymakers and innovators.

The UK PM will depart from India at 11:30 pm on Thursday.

Significance Of The Visit

India and Britain are the world's fifth- and sixth-largest economies, with bilateral trade worth around $54.8 billion and investments supporting more than 600,000 jobs across both countries.

"With India set to be the third biggest economy in the world by 2028, and trade with them about to become quicker and cheaper, the opportunities waiting to be seized are unparalleled," Starmer said in a statement.

The visit "will provide a valuable opportunity to reaffirm the shared vision of India and the United Kingdom to build a forward-looking partnership," India's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Under the new deal, India will slash tariffs on imports of British goods such as whisky, cosmetics and medical devices, while Britain will reduce duties on clothing, footwear and food products, including frozen prawns from India. However, Starmer ruled out expanding visa access for Indian professionals despite pressure from industry.

"That isn't part of the plan... We're here now to take advantage of the free trade agreement that we've already struck. We've got to implement it," he told reporters en route to Mumbai.