Keir Starmer’s historic trip to India
India (Commonwealth Union)_ British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Mumbai at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, making his first official visit to India since taking office. This journey is significant beyond protocol because it demonstrates the UK’s renewed attention on India as a crucial partner in trade, innovation, education, and diplomacy. He was accompanied by a 125-member delegation representing business, academia, and the cultural sector. Starmer has said that this mission is about “doubling down on the potential of the trade deal,” a pact aimed at generating growth and job opportunities on both sides. While the delegation itself underlines the UK’s intent, it is India that stands to gain strategically. Improved access to UK markets may increase Indian exports; more connection in technology, education, and green energy may contribute to local innovation; and more partnerships may support India as a gateway to Asia for the UK.
India’s warm reception to the British PM
Starmer’s arrival in Mumbai was met with high courtesy and fanfare. At the airport, he was greeted by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. Additionally, large outdoor displays greeted him around the city, featuring him alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with messages of “Warm Welcome.” To symbolize cultural bonds, Starmer lit traditional diyas in Mumbai as Diwali nears, a gesture that bridges political exchange and shared heritage. During his stay, he engaged with business leaders in Mumbai, emphasizing the importance of the India‑UK trade partnership.
Leisure, culture, and symbolic outreach
In addition to his busy diplomatic work, Starmer also managed to take part in important cultural events. Accordingly, he toured Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai, meeting the Bollywood star Rani Mukerji and learning about the studios and production facilities with YRF staff. In a significant development, Starmer stated that Yash Raj Films plans to shoot major films in the UK beginning in 2026, reinforcing creative linkages and attracting Indian film investments to the Kingdom. Later, he attended a football showcase at Cooperage Ground hosted by the English Premier League and interacted with young athletes in an effort to strengthen sports diplomacy. He also ate at Khyber, a famed Mumbai restaurant, and enjoyed local cuisine despite his busy schedule. He also attended a cultural performance along with Prime Minister Modi, featuring Arijit Singh and Ed Sheeran in a cultural event hosted in Starmer’s honor, a symbol of India-UK artistic exchange.
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Meeting with Prime Minister Modi
Prime Minister Modi gave Starmer a warm public welcome, calling the visit historic. In statements shared on social media, Modi said he looked forward to advancing a “shared vision of a stronger, mutually prosperous future.” In Mumbai, Modi and Starmer held extensive talks covering trade, defense, security, and emerging technologies. They also pledged to engage business and industry leaders via the CEO Forum, with a focus on furthering their Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Both leaders also took part in the Global Fintech Fest, putting fintech cooperation at the center of their agenda.
Broadening the bilateral relations
Starmer used the visit to launch new initiatives that enhance India-UK cooperation across multiple sectors. His delegation prioritized opportunities for investment, which included infrastructure, green energy, defense, edtech, and consumer goods. They also spotlighted the UK‑India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB), a joint vehicle for sustainable investment bridging London and Indian development priorities. Talks extended to improving air connectivity and renewing the India-UK Air Services Agreement, with a view to making travel and goods exchange smoother and more efficient.
FTA, deals, and strategic collaborations
A major highlight of the visit was the relaunch of the India‑UK Joint Economic Trade Committee (JETCO), which will anchor the implementation of the CETA and help transform bilateral trade into concrete growth and employment outcomes. They also announced the launch of a Climate Technology Startup Fund, a joint venture between the UK government and the State Bank of India, aimed at supporting ventures in climate tech and artificial intelligence. Starmer described the FTA, signed in July 2024, as a historic achievement. He lauded the agreement as not only the largest trade agreement from the UK since Brexit but also possibly the most important in India’s history. The agreement lowers tariffs on textiles, automobiles, leather, and spirits, providing Indian products greater access to the UK market, and vice versa for the United Kingdom.
According to projections, thousands of new jobs might be created in both countries, particularly in engineering, manufacturing, and consumer goods. Additionally, defense and technical cooperation were also hotly debated. In a major defense deal worth about $500 million, India decided to buy lightweight multirole missiles from the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, both countries committed to jointly advancing work in AI, telecommunications, critical minerals, and health technologies through new institutions and innovation centers.
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Major agreements signed
- India‑UK Connectivity and Innovation Centre: Focused on AI-native networks, telecom cybersecurity, and next-generation infrastructure.
- India‑UK Joint Centre for AI: A shared platform to research responsible AI in health, climate, fintech, and biology.
- Critical Minerals Supply Chain initiatives: Including the establishment of a guild, collaboration on processing chains, and satellite campuses at Indian institutions to support downstream innovation.
- In the defense domain, the two sides agreed to integrate Indian Air Force trainers into Royal Air Force programs and explore collaboration on maritime electric propulsion for Indian naval platforms.
- They also created a task force for offshore wind projects and laid the groundwork for climate-tech partnerships via their Clean Power Alliance.
Fintech & Finance: The CEO Forum and Global Fintech Fest
At the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai, Starmer called the India‑UK FTA “the most ambitious trade deal India has ever done.” He emphasized that it paves the way for deeper fintech partnerships and invited Indian fintech firms to see the UK as their gateway to global markets. He pointed out that both nations already rank among the world’s top fintech hubs and that their trade and services relationship has doubled in just four years. The new agreement seeks to expedite that growth. Through this, India will be better positioned to integrate into global financial systems, with access to British capital, regulatory expertise, and access to Europe and beyond.
Starmer’s interest in India’s digital identity model
One of the most interesting aspects of the trip was Starmer’s encounter with Nandan Nilekani, the founder of India’s Aadhaar system. The British Prime Minister considered whether Britain could adopt a similar digital identity scheme. He sees opportunities to improve citizen access to government services, verify legal working status for migrants, and reduce bureaucracy. This is a direct acknowledgement of the value and global influence of India’s digital infrastructure, as it highlights Indian knowledge in public sector technology as something to be exported, as a form of soft power, and as a source of revenue.
Education and campus expansion
In a move that may bring profound long-term benefits, Starmer confirmed that nine British university campuses will open in India. This will give Indian students more access to globally recognized British education. He also announced that Lancaster University will open a campus in Bengaluru and that the University of Surrey has received in-principle approval for a location in GIFT City. Existing proposals include campuses for the University of Southampton (Gurugram), University of Liverpool, University of York, University of Aberdeen, University of Bristol, Queen’s University Belfast, and Coventry (GIFT City). The two governments also pledged to launch an Annual Ministerial Strategic Education Dialogue and deepen cultural and youth exchanges. They also reaffirmed their Migration and Mobility Partnership and acknowledged the Indian diaspora as a vibrant bridge between both nations.
Key gains and strategic leverage for India
Numerous concrete benefits emerge from this visit:
- Greater market access: With reduced barriers to UK markets, Indian businesses in textiles, engineering goods, electronics can scale exports to one of the world’s wealthier consumer bases.
- Technology translation: Through joint AI, telecom, and sustainable tech projects, India can import advanced capabilities while contributing to research and innovation leadership.
- Defense balance: The missile deal and military cooperation help India diversify its supply sources and strengthen key defense sectors.
- Educational strength: British campus presence will improve capacity and connectivity in higher education while boosting India’s global academic profile.
- Cultural and soft power influence: Indian entertainment, film, cuisine, language, and digital governance models get a boost in the British and global imagination.
- Institutional depth: Setting up commissions, regulatory links, and joint funds creates structures that make this partnership durable, not just symbolic.
Starmer’s open endorsement of India’s permanent UNSC seat
Starmer publicly backed India’s bid for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council, affirming global recognition of India’s growing stature. This was in line with calls from many other countries seeking a more representative and diverse UN. His support adds weight to India’s diplomatic ambitions on the world stage. The visit also reinforced the narrative that India is on track to be among the world’s top three economies in the near future. Starmer described Britain as a natural ally in that journey. He emphasized that the UK-India relationship is no longer just historical or symbolic but a strategic collaboration built on mutual strengths, shared values, and economic opportunity.
India‑UK relations: A new era
To sum up, Keir Starmer’s journey to India is more than a headline visit. It represents a shift from dialogue to delivery and from broad friendship to tightly aligned partnership. For India, the visit brings access, validation, and investment. It offers new routes to global markets, new pathways in technology and education, and partnerships that reinforce India’s standing on the global stage. In many respects, the UK is positioning itself as a committed partner in India’s ascent. But the value flows both ways: the UK gains preferential access to a rapidly growing market, access to India’s talent pool, and a stronger foothold in Asia. For India, this visit strengthens key sectors, accelerates goals in defense and sustainability, deepens global connectivity, and enhances soft power. In the years ahead, the institutions, agreements, and networks forged now may underpin an era of India’s growth with Britain clearly by its side.
