British Prime Minister Keir Starmer touched down in India on Wednesday, with a clear intent to get the new India-UK Free Trade Agreement moving, fast.
Speaking to business leaders in Mumbai, Starmer called the FTA a “launchpad” for deeper economic cooperation and hailed it as Britain’s biggest trade milestone since Brexit.
He urged his team to roll it out “as quickly as humanly possible,” stressing that the deal opens massive opportunities for both countries.
Starmer struck an optimistic tone about ramping up trade and investment, saying the partnership perfectly fits into the ambitious India-UK Vision 2035 roadmap, a plan to take bilateral ties to the next level over the next decade.
Starmer’s India visit: Day 1
Prime Minister Keir Starmer landed in Mumbai early Wednesday, kicking off his very first official visit to India since taking office in July 2024.
He got a warm welcome from Maharashtra’s top leaders- Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and the state governor.
And the excitement was visible around the city with billboards and banners everywhere were celebrating his visit.
Starmer wasn’t traveling light either as he came with over 100 British business leaders, making this the biggest UK trade delegation to India ever.
His schedule was jam-packed: a big business summit, a tour of Yash Raj Studios in Film City, and even a special English Premier League promo event.
The whole trip was clearly about boosting trade, culture, and industry ties between the two countries under the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, following the Vision 2035 roadmap.
Later, he is scheduled to meet India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, setting the stage for some serious talks on trade, tech, defense, and innovation.
Diplomacy and deals drive Mumbai talks
On Thursday, October 9, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set for a big moment in Mumbai, his bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The morning meeting at Maharashtra Raj Bhavan will focus on checking in on progress under the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and fine-tuning plans for the Vision 2035 roadmap.
Trade, fintech, defense, and key regional and global issues are expected to dominate the conversation.
After their private talks, the two leaders will address the media together before heading to the India-UK Global Fintech Summit at the Jio World Centre, a celebration of innovation, technology, and financial collaboration.
Starmer’s day doesn’t end there. He will also meet with industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators at the Global Fintech Fest’s sixth edition, capping off a two-day visit packed with high-level meetings and major announcements.
Later that evening, he is scheduled to fly back to London, leaving behind strong momentum in India-UK relations.
The visit builds on Modi’s trip to the UK in July and highlights a forward-looking partnership, strengthened by the historic Free Trade Agreement that aims to double trade between the two countries by 2030.
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