UK PM Keir Starmer’s first official visit to India next week

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will embark on his first official visit to India next week at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Starmer will arrive in India on a two-day visit from October 8 to October 9, the MEA said on Saturday (October 4).

Starmer and Modi will take stock of the progress of diverse aspects of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and review bilateral ties in several sectors, including defence, security, climate, energy, health and education.

“At the invitation of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the Rt Honourable Sir Keir Starmer MP will visit India on 8-9 October 2025. This will be Prime Minister Starmer’s first official visit to India,” stated the MEA.

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Will view India-UK strategic partnership

“During the visit, on October 9 in Mumbai, the two Prime Ministers 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,” it added.

The release further stated that both leaders will engage with businesses and industry leaders on opportunities presented by the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as a central pillar of the future India–UK economic partnership. They will also exchange views on issues of regional and global importance.

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Will attend Global Fintech Fest

The two leaders will attend the 6th edition of the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai and deliver keynote addresses. They 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 on 23–24 July 2025. It will provide a valuable opportunity to reaffirm the shared vision of India and the United Kingdom to build a forward-looking partnership,” stated the MEA.

The India-UK FTA was signed in the presence of PM Modi and Keir Starmer, providing greater access to goods and services between the two countries.

The FTA was formalised in the presence of PM Modi and his UK counterpart Starmer and was officially signed by India's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, and the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, stated a government release.