Watch| Starmer arrives in Mumbai for first state visit, with trade high on agenda

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer landed in Mumbai on Wednesday for his two-day visit to India, during which he is slated to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is Starmer’s first official visit to India as the British Prime Minister.

The two-day visit, at the invitation of PM Modi, will see both leaders take stock of the progress made across all aspects of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in line with “Vision 2035”, a 10-year roadmap agreed alongside the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in July to build on the key pillars of the partnership.

#WATCH | UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaves the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai after landing in India earlier today.

He will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai, and attend the CEO Forum and Global Fintech Fest 2025… pic.twitter.com/YRz74zCB0m

— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2025

“The UK prime minister’s visit to India comes at a pivotal moment in the evolution of our bilateral relationship, defined increasingly by partnership, shared prosperity, and mutual respect,” said Richard Heald, who is part of the prime ministerial delegation.

“The UK-India corridor stands as one of the most promising economic relationships globally, and we look forward to supporting its continued growth – grounded in innovation, opportunity, and mutual ambition,” said Heald, Chair of the UK India Business Council (UKIBC).

Starmer is accompanied by a delegation of over 100 business leaders, university vice-chancellors and cultural chiefs, as the UK and India aim at boosting trade and investment, technology and education ties.

What’s on agenda?

Starmer will meet PM Modi on Thursday at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai, following which he will attend the CEO Forum and Global Fintech Fest 2025 events at the Jio World Centre.

During his meeting with PM Modi, Starmer will take stock of the progress made in UK-India ties reframed during Modi’s visit to the UK earlier this year, as being guided by ‘Vision 2035’.

The visit coinciding with both navies undertaking their joint Exercise Konkan in the Arabian Sea is symbolic of the opportunity for the delivery of significant defence technological and industrial partnerships between Indian and UK companies, including on naval electric propulsion, said Rahul Roy-Chaudhury, Senior Fellow for South Asia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London.

He believes Starmer’s first official visit to India takes place at a strategically significant moment for both countries.

“For India, stung by the eye-watering tariffs imposed by the Trump administration amidst concerns over the next Trump tweet, and with little appetite for a pivot towards Russia or China, it encourages diversification of its foreign and security partnerships towards the UK and the EU,” said Roy-Chaudhury.

With inputs from agencies