New Delhi, Sunday, 5 October 2025 – UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will undertake his first official UK PM India visit on 8-9 October 2025, at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to advance bilateral ties under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
This UK PM India visit marks a pivotal moment in Anglo-Indian relations. It follows the conclusion of a landmark free trade agreement earlier this year and arrives amid global economic shifts. For South Asia, the Keir Starmer India visit October 2025 could spur investment inflows, technology transfers, and enhanced security cooperation, benefiting regional stability and growth in a volatile geopolitical landscape.
Agenda of the UK PM India Visit
The Keir Starmer India visit October 2025 centres on Mumbai, where the two leaders will convene on 9 October. They plan to review progress across the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, guided by Vision 2035. This 10-year roadmap targets key sectors including trade and investment, technology and innovation, defence and security, climate and energy, health, education, and people-to-people relations.
Prime Minister Starmer and Prime Minister Modi will engage with business leaders to explore opportunities from the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The agreement forms the cornerstone of future economic collaboration. The leaders will also discuss regional and global issues, from supply chain resilience to counter-terrorism efforts.
A highlight of the UK PM India visit includes attendance at the sixth Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai. Both prime ministers will deliver keynote addresses and interact with industry experts, policymakers, and innovators. This event underscores the fintech bridge between the two economies, with India hosting over 2,500 fintech startups and the UK leading in digital finance innovation.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the itinerary on 4 October 2025. It described the UK PM India visit as a chance to reaffirm a shared forward-looking partnership. No specific venues beyond Mumbai feature in the announcement, though bilateral meetings typically occur in New Delhi if extended.
Building on Recent Milestones: Keir Starmer India Visit October 2025 Context
The Keir Starmer India visit October 2025 builds directly on momentum from Prime Minister Modi’s trip to the United Kingdom on 23-24 July 2025. That visit saw the signing of the CETA, which slashes tariffs on goods like textiles, whisky, and automobiles. Negotiations wrapped up in May 2025 after three years, hastened by US tariff policies under President Donald Trump.
Bilateral trade hit £43 billion in 2024, with UK exports to India at £26 billion and imports at £17 billion. The UK ranks as India’s sixth-largest investor, with cumulative equity inflows of US$35 billion by September 2024. India reciprocates with $19 billion in outward investment to the UK by March 2024. Over 971 Indian firms operate in the UK, employing more than 100,000 people, while 667 British companies in India support over 500,000 jobs.
Defence ties strengthen through joint exercises like Konkan 2023 and Tarang Shakti 2024. In science and technology, a 2023 memorandum of understanding covers quantum tech, clean energy, and artificial intelligence. The Net Zero Innovation Virtual Centre fosters green collaborations. Health partnerships, rooted in joint COVID-19 vaccine production by AstraZeneca and Serum Institute of India, now include frameworks for NHS workforce recruitment, with over 60,000 Indian staff in the UK as of June 2023.
Education exchanges thrive, with 170,000 Indian students in the UK and a 2022 pact on academic qualifications. The Migration and Mobility Partnership enables 3,000 annual visas for young professionals aged 18-30. The 1.864 million-strong Indian diaspora in the UK drives business, with 65,000 diaspora-owned firms generating £36.84 billion in revenue and 174,000 jobs.
Prime Minister Modi invited Prime Minister Starmer during a 6 July 2024 phone call post-UK elections. Subsequent interactions included a G20 sideline meeting in Rio de Janeiro on 18 November 2024, a condolence call after the Pahalgam attack on 25 April 2025, a 6 May 2025 telecon announcing the CETA, and a G7 encounter in Canada on 17 June 2025.
Why the UK PM India Visit Matters for South Asia
In South Asia, the Keir Starmer India visit October 2025 holds strategic weight. India, as the region’s economic anchor, stands to gain from diversified trade partners amid US-China tensions. Enhanced UK investment could modernise infrastructure and boost exports in textiles and pharmaceuticals, key South Asian sectors.
Security dialogues during the UK PM India visit may address shared concerns like maritime threats in the Indian Ocean. Climate commitments align with South Asia’s vulnerability to monsoons and rising seas, potentially unlocking UK funding for resilient agriculture. For diaspora communities across the subcontinent, visa easements signal broader mobility gains.
The visit also tests post-Brexit Britain’s pivot to Indo-Pacific partnerships. With the CETA in place, tariff reductions could lower costs for South Asian exporters routing through India, stimulating regional supply chains.
Background: Evolution of India-UK Ties
India-UK relations formalised as a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in May 2021 via Roadmap 2030. The Labour government’s 2024 manifesto prioritised an FTA and deeper ties in security, education, and climate. The 13th India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue in April 2025 focused on infrastructure and sustainable finance.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s January 2025 UK visit advanced parliamentary exchanges. These layers provide fertile ground for the Keir Starmer India visit October 2025.
What’s Next After the UK PM India Visit
Post-visit, implementation of CETA provisions will accelerate. Expect joint working groups on defence procurement and AI ethics by year-end. The UK PM India visit could pave the way for reciprocal engagements, including Starmer hosting Modi in London next year. Regional forums like the Commonwealth may see amplified India-UK coordination on development goals.
As the dust settles from this UK PM India visit, Anglo-Indian bonds appear set to deepen, promising mutual prosperity in an interconnected world.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, October 5th, 2025
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