British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in India on Wednesday, marking his first official visit to the country since taking office and months after the two nations finalized a landmark free trade agreement. The visit signifies a new chapter in UK-India relations, capping years of negotiations aimed at deepening economic and strategic cooperation.
Starmer is accompanied by a high-profile, 125-member delegation, including prominent business leaders such as British Airways CEO Sean Doyle, reflecting London’s determination to expand commercial ties with New Delhi. During his two-day trip, Starmer is scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday and later address a fintech conference in Mumbai alongside him.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Starmer highlighted the economic potential of the partnership, saying, “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.”
The trade accord, signed in July during Modi’s visit to London, is designed to facilitate smoother trade flows between the world’s fifth- and sixth-largest economies, currently worth around $54.8 billion. The agreement also underpins investments supporting over 600,000 jobs across both countries.
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the visit “provides a valuable opportunity to reaffirm the shared vision of India and the United Kingdom to build a forward-looking partnership grounded in mutual respect and economic cooperation.”
Under the terms of the deal, India will reduce tariffs on imports of British goods such as whisky, cosmetics, and medical devices, while Britain will lower duties on a range of Indian exports including textiles, footwear, and food products—notably frozen prawns.
However, Starmer made it clear that visa access for Indian professionals would not be expanded as part of the agreement, despite lobbying from British industries facing labor shortages. “That isn’t part of the plan,” Starmer told reporters while en route to Mumbai. “We’re here now to take advantage of the free trade agreement that we’ve already struck. We’ve got to implement it.”
Meanwhile, human rights organizations have urged the British premier to raise the issue of Scottish Sikh blogger Jagtar Singh Johal, who has been detained in India since 2017 over allegations of involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate right-wing Hindu leaders. Johal has yet to be convicted, and one of the nine charges against him was dismissed earlier this year.
Starmer’s visit underscores the UK’s efforts to reposition itself as a leading trade and investment partner for India in the post-Brexit era, while New Delhi continues to assert its role as a key global economic player.
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