UK PM Starmer arrives in Mumbai; key talks with Modi on trade, strategy

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Mumbai on Wednesday for his first official visit to India.

Upon arrival at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, he was received by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat.

During the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Starmer will take stock of progress in diverse aspects of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in line with 'Vision 2035', a focused and time bound 10-year Roadmap of programmes and initiatives in key pillars of trade and investment, technology and innovation, defence and security, climate and energy, health, education and people to people relations.

Both leaders will engage with businesses and industry leaders on the opportunities presented by the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which will serve as a central pillar of the future India-UK economic partnership.

They will also exchange views on issues of regional and global importance.

The two Prime Ministers will attend the 6th edition of the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai and deliver keynote addresses. The leaders will also engage with industry experts, policymakers and innovators.

The visit will build on the momentum and substance generated by the visit of Prime Minister Modi to the UK in July this year. It will provide a valuable opportunity to reaffirm the shared vision of India and the United Kingdom to build a forward-looking partnership.

India and the United Kingdom signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) in July this year, a bilateral free trade agreement marking a major milestone in their longstanding partnership. The agreement was signed by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds in the presence of PM Modi and PM Starmer.

It reflected the shared ambition of two major economies to deepen economic ties. Bilateral trade has already reached USD 56 billion, with a target to double this by 2030.