Context:

• British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s first official visit to India on October 8–9, 2025, reciprocating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to London earlier that year, signifies a major milestone in India–UK strategic and economic relations.
• The visit comes at a time of global geopolitical flux, trade disruptions, and shifting security alliances.

Strengthening Bilateral Economic Cooperation:

• Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA):
  • The centrepiece of the renewed partnership, CETA, aims to enhance bilateral trade by £25.5 billion annually, targeting a total trade value of £90 billion ($120 billion) by 2030.
  • It promises major benefits for Indian sectors such as textiles, footwear, toys, marine products, engineering goods, and chemicals.
  • This comes as India faces US tariff hikes and the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
• Global fintech collaboration: Both leaders will address the sixth Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai, underlining collaboration between the London and Mumbai financial hubs, focusing on fintech innovation and financial linkages.

Geopolitical and Strategic Dimensions:

• Complementary strengths and shared vision:
  • The India–UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership – Vision 2035 provides a 10-year roadmap focusing on trade, innovation, education, defence, health, and sustainable development.
  • Both nations collaborate on global initiatives such as the One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
• Defence and security cooperation:
  • Ongoing bilateral defence consultations and joint exercises like Konkan 2025 exemplify growing military synergy.
  • The goal is to move towards co-development and co-production in defence manufacturing, strengthen cybersecurity cooperation, and enhance real-time intelligence sharing.
  • The UK’s Integrated Review 2023 and the Strategic Defence Review 2025 recognise India as a key global security partner and support India’s inclusion as a permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC).

Migration, Mobility and People-to-People Linkages:

• Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (2021): Full implementation remains incomplete, but once realised, it would facilitate professional movement, streamlined visas, and faster extradition processes.
• Indian diaspora in the UK:
  • A critical pillar of bilateral ties, the British Indian community own 65,000 companies in the UK and have the highest average earnings and highest employment levels (75%).
  • They are valued in every sector — business, industry, academia and science, politics, literature and the arts — acting as a bridge of goodwill between the two nations.

Challenges, Sensitivities and Way Forward:

• Challenges: Despite shared democratic values and mutual interests, vested interests and domestic political narratives occasionally attempt to derail the partnership through misinformation and political friction.
• Way Forward:
  • Sustaining momentum: Requires diplomatic sensitivity, policy consistency, and public diplomacy.
  • Fast-track CETA implementation: To realise trade and investment potential.
  • Deepen defence-industrial collaboration: Through technology transfers and joint production.
  • Migration and Mobility Partnership: Ensure full operationalisation.
  • Enhance cooperation in emerging domains: AI, green energy, and resilient infrastructure.
  • Leverage diaspora networks: For innovation, education, and entrepreneurship.

Conclusion:

• Keir Starmer’s India visit reaffirms the strategic depth and economic potential of the India–UK partnership amid global uncertainty.
• The Vision 2035 roadmap provides a clear framework for transforming ties from transactional to transformative.
• By focusing on mutual trust, inclusive growth, and global cooperation, both nations can shape a new era of partnership—anchored in shared values, resilient economies, and a collective vision for a secure, sustainable, and multipolar world order.