British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in India on Wednesday for his first official visit, just months after both countries sealed a historic free trade agreement following years of negotiation.
Starmer, who aims to strengthen economic cooperation between the two nations, touched down with a 125-member delegation that includes several top business figures, among them British Airways CEO Sean Doyle.
The two-day trip comes after Starmer’s July meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in London, where they signed the trade accord. During this visit, Starmer is expected to meet Modi again and jointly address a fintech conference in Mumbai.
“With India set to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2028, and trade between our nations about to grow faster and more efficiently, the potential ahead is enormous,” Starmer said in a statement.
India and the UK—currently the world’s fifth- and sixth-largest economies—share bilateral trade worth nearly $55 billion, supporting over 600,000 jobs across both countries.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs described the visit as a chance to “reaffirm a shared vision for a forward-looking partnership.”
Under the trade deal, India will reduce tariffs on British exports such as whisky, cosmetics, and medical equipment, while the UK will cut duties on Indian products including clothing, footwear, and frozen prawns.
Despite calls from some industries, Starmer ruled out expanding visa access for Indian professionals, telling reporters en route to Mumbai, “That isn’t part of the plan. We’re focused on implementing the agreement we’ve already secured.”
Meanwhile, human rights organisations have urged Starmer to discuss the case of Scottish Sikh blogger Jagtar Singh Johal, who has been held in India since 2017 over alleged links to a plot to assassinate right-wing Hindu leaders. Johal has not been convicted, and one of the nine charges against him was dismissed earlier this year.
