UK PM Keir Starmer’s India Visit Aims to Strengthen Trade Ties, Says Foreign Secretary

By A Staff Reporter

Mumbai: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s first official visit to India is aimed at deepening bilateral trade and investment ties, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said at a special media briefing on Thursday.

Misri described the visit as a continuation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to the United Kingdom in July, during which the two countries signed the historic India-U.K. Free Trade Agreement, formally known as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

“Prime Minister Starmer described his visit as a ‘two-parter’, following PM Modi’s visit to the U.K.,” Misri said, adding that this return visit seeks to build on that momentum and translate the strategic understanding into tangible economic outcomes.

He noted that while the agreement is currently undergoing ratification in both countries, both leaders have recognised the strong enthusiasm among the business communities. The discussions during this visit, Misri said, were focused on planning future trade and investment cooperation, expanding market access, and encouraging cross-border innovation partnerships.