Keir Starmer is set to be joined in Mumbai by over 100 UK CEOs and university vice chancellors as they seek to bolster ties with Indian PM Narendra Modi’s government
Keir Starmer will jet to India today for his first official visit after signing a major trade deal with Narendra Modi.
The PM is set to be joined in Mumbai by over 100 UK CEOs and university vice chancellors as they seek to bolster ties with India. Mr Starmer last met with Indian PM Mr Modi at countryside residence, Chequers, in Buckinghamshire, where they finalised the treaty in July.
Mr Modi said the two nations were “writing a new chapter” in a shared history with the deal worth £6billion in investment to the UK economy. The Indian leader, who also met with King Charles at Sandringham, called it a “blueprint for our shared prosperity”.
Mr Starmer described it as the “most economically significant” since Brexit. The agreement – once ratified – will slash tariffs on key UK exports such as whisky and gin from 150% to 75% with average tariffs falling from 15 to three per cent.
It was agreed three years after ex-PM Boris Johnson failed to deliver on the promise of a post-Brexit deal with India.
During his time in office Mr Johnson boasted in April 2022 he would get a deal “done” by Diawli in late October but was turfed out of office three months later. Negotiations also failed under his Tory successors Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.
India’s ministry of external affairs said earlier this week Mr Modi and Mr Starmer will also visit the Global Fintech conference in Mumbai. They added: “The visit will build on the momentum and substance generated by the visit of Prime Minister Modi to the UK on 23–24 July 2025.
“It will provide a valuable opportunity to reaffirm the shared vision of India and the United Kingdom to build a forward-looking partnership.”
But Mr Starmer could face questions on India’s purchase of Russian oil as the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine wages on. Last month US President Donald Trump slapped India with a 50% tariff on goods including a 25% penalty for dealings with Russia.
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