September 26, 2025
The visit follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s July trip to Britain, during which the India–UK free trade agreement (FTA) was signed and is now awaiting ratification
Modi and Starmer will meet in Mumbai for bilateral talks and jointly attend the Global Fintech Fest 2025
The visit will review progress on the Vision 2035 strategy and the Defence Industrial Roadmap for deeper cooperation on military hardware and innovation
Discussions will include counter-terrorism, concerns over pro-Khalistan elements in the UK, and the extradition of high-profile economic offenders
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to visit India next month to strengthen relations in trade, technology, defence, and security at a time of significant global flux driven by US trade and tariff policies, according to people familiar with the matter.
Starmer’s visit follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Britain in July, when the two sides signed a landmark free trade agreement (FTA), which is now in the process of ratification and is likely to take effect next year. The two leaders will meet in Mumbai for bilateral discussions and participate in the Global Fintech Fest 2025, according to people who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Starmer is scheduled to visit India from October 8 to 10 and will also travel to Bengaluru for meetings aimed at enhancing technology partnerships and investments.
The meeting between Modi and Starmer will take place amid heightened geopolitical and geo-economic turbulence caused by the trade policies of the Trump administration in the US. The UK recently reached an agreement in principle on a non-binding trade deal with the US to reduce the impact of American tariffs, while India and the US have resumed talks on their own bilateral trade pact.
Starmer’s visit will provide an opportunity to take stock of the efforts to ratify the India–UK FTA, which is projected to increase two-way trade by $35 billion over time, lower tariffs on goods such as textiles and whisky, and improve market access. The two sides have also finalised the Double Contribution Convention (DCC), which will support the services sector by exempting employers of Indian workers in the UK from paying social security contributions for three years.
The leaders are also expected to review progress on the Vision 2035 strategy, which aims to drive cooperation in defence, technology, climate, and migration, as well as the Defence Industrial Roadmap for closer collaboration on military hardware. Both initiatives were launched during Modi’s visit to the United Kingdom.
India’s campaign against terrorism, the activities of pro-Khalistan groups in the UK, and the extradition of economic offenders wanted in India are also likely to feature prominently in the talks, the people said.
During his visit to the UK in July, Modi stressed that there could be no double standards in the fight against terrorism. In a pointed reference to pro-Khalistan groups, he said extremist forces must not be allowed to misuse democratic freedoms and that those seeking to undermine democracy should be held accountable.
Source: The Hindu