UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer landed in Mumbai on Wednesday morning for a two-day India visit, accompanied by the largest-ever trade delegation from the UK. The visit marks a significant milestone in India-UK relations, with both nations announcing a series of major agreements spanning technology, education, trade, and climate cooperation.
Following his meeting with the UK Prime Minister on Thursday, PM Modi described India and the UK as natural partners, stating, "India and the UK are natural partners. The foundation of our relationship is a shared belief in values such as democracy, freedom, and the rule of law." He further noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Starmer, there has been remarkable progress in bilateral relations. PM Modi recalled that during his UK visit in July this year, both nations reached an agreement on the historic Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
PM Modi emphasised that the UK Prime Minister's visit, accompanied by the largest business delegation, symbolises the new energy and broader vision that has energised the India-UK partnership.
The visit has yielded significant outcomes across multiple sectors. In technology and innovation, both countries announced the establishment of the India-UK Connectivity and Innovation Centre and the India-UK Joint Centre for AI. Additionally, Phase II of the UK-India Critical Minerals Supply Chain Observatory will be launched, alongside a new satellite campus at IIT-ISM Dhanbad. The Critical Minerals Industry Guild will also be established to secure resilient supply chains and promote green technologies.
In the education sector, Lancaster University received a Letter of Intent for opening a campus in Bengaluru, whilst the University of Surrey has been granted in-principle approval to establish a campus in GIFT City.
Trade and investment cooperation saw the inaugural meeting of the reconstituted India-UK CEO Forum and the resetting of the India-UK Joint Economic Trade Committee (JETCO), which will support CETA implementation and drive economic growth and job creation in both countries. A new joint investment in the Climate Technology Startup Fund was announced under the MoU between the UK Government and the State Bank of India, aimed at supporting innovative entrepreneurs in climate technology and AI sectors.
On climate, health, and research, both nations launched Phase III of the Bio-Medical Research Career Programme and established the Offshore Wind Taskforce. A Letter of Intent between ICMR and NIHR, United Kingdom, on Health Research was also signed, strengthening collaboration in medical research.
