Overview of UK PM Keir Starmer’s Visit to India from October 8 to 9, 2025

Keir Starmer, Prime Minister (PM) of the United Kingdom (UK), visited India from October 8 to 9, 2025, at the invitation of PM of India Narendra Modi, marking his first official visit to India.

• His visit follows the visit of PM Narendra Modi in July 2025, when India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was signed.
• He was accompanied by a high-level delegation including Peter Kyle, Member of Parliament (MP), Secretary of Business and Trade and President of the Board of Trade; Douglas Alexander MP, Secretary of State for Scotland, Jason Stockwood, Minister for Investment, along with 125 CEOs, entrepreneurs, university Vice Chancellors, and cultural leaders.

Highlights of UK PM Keir Starmer’s Visit to India:

Visit to Mumbai:

Arrival: On October 8, 2025, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Mumbai, Maharashtra, where he addressed Indian business leaders to boost India-UK trade and investment ties.

• He also visited Yash Raj Films Studio and interacted with Bollywood personalities as part of his cultural engagements.

Global Fintech Fest 2025: On October 9, 2025, UK PM Keir Starmer attended the 6th edition of the Global Fintech Fest (GFF), the world’s largest fintech festival, jointly organized by Payments Council of India (PCI), National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and Fintech Convergence Council (FCC) at Jio World Centre in Mumbai.

• During the visit, India and the UK have launched India-UK Fintech Corridor to boost financial and technological cooperation, enabling startups to pilot innovations and fostering collaboration between the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and Gujarat International Finance Tec-City(GIFT City), Gujarat.

India-UK Summit:

Meeting: On October 9, 2025, PM Narendra Modi and UK PM Keir Starmer held restricted and delegation-level talks in Mumbai to strengthen the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership under the Vision 2035 roadmap.

CEO Forum meeting: UK PM Keir Starmer and PM Narendra Modi welcomed the inaugural CEO Forum meeting in Mumbai during the India-UK Summit and expressed hope for the early ratification of the India–UK CETA to unlock its benefits.

• During the meeting both the countries agreed to reset the India-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO).

Outcome of the Visit:

Technology Innovations:

India-UK Connectivity and Innovation Centre: It is a joint hub to develop AI-based networks for 6th Generation (6G), Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs), and telecom cybersecurity, with at least 24 million Euros in funding for the first phase.

India-UK Joint Centre for AI: It focuses on advancing responsible and trustworthy Artificial Intelligence(AI) in healthcare, climate, fintech, and engineering biology.

Critical Minerals Collaboration: The collaboration between India and UK helps strengthen critical mineral supply chains and promote investment and growth.

• The Phase 2 of the Critical Minerals Supply Chain Observatory will expand mineral coverage, integrate advanced technologies, create new bilateral investment opportunities, and establish a satellite campus at Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT)-Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad (Jharkhand).

Critical Minerals Industry Guild:It was established to strengthen resilient supply chains and support the development of green technologies,between Indian and UK industries.

Education: During the visit PM Keir Starmer announced the establishment of campuses of nine UK universities in India, following the approval of University Grants Commission (UGC) under the National Education Policy (NEP 2020).It includes

1. University of Southampton at Gurugram (Haryana) which is already operational.
2. University of Bristol at Mumbai (Maharashtra)
3. University of Liverpool at Bengaluru (Karnataka)
4. University of York in Mumbai
5. University of Aberdeen in Mumbai
6. University of Lancaster in Bengaluru
7. University of Surrey at Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) City in Gandhinagar (Gujarat)
8. Queen’s University Belfast in GIFT city
9. Coventry University in GIFT city.

Trade and Investment:

JETCO: Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), and Peter Kyle, signed Terms of Reference (ToR) to reposition the JETCO, marking a significant step in enhancing bilateral economic relations.

• The agreement aims to provide a clear mandate, structure, and framework for JETCO’s activities, ensuring more focused discussions on bilateral trade, investment, and economic cooperation.

CETA Benefits: CETA reduces tariffs on key goods, eases service market access, and fosters collaboration in Fintech, Green Finance, and digital services to boost India-UK economic and tech ties.

Technology Startup Fund: It was launched under a UK-India MoU with the State Bank of India(SBI), supports entrepreneurs in sectors such as climate technology and AI.

Climate, Health, and Research:

Phase-III of the Bio-Medical Research Career Program: Launched to foster advanced research and career development in biomedical sciences, enhancing collaborative efforts in health research.

Offshore Wind Taskforce: Established to promote the development of offshore wind energy projects, aligning with both nations’ commitments to sustainable energy solutions.

Health Research Collaboration: A Letter of Intent(LoI) was signed between India’s Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to strengthen health research initiative.

UCL Collaborations:

During the Visit of PM Keir, University College London (UCL), London (UK), participated, highlighting education, innovation, and technology as key pillars of the India-UK partnership.

MedTech Collaboration: It involves the collaboration between Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and UCL to develop innovative healthcare solutions through advanced research in medical technology, focusing on diagnostics, digital health, and assistive technology.

• IIT Delhi will provide its expertise in engineering, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and technology-driven research, AIIMS will provide clinical expertise and insights into patient care and medical applications, and UCL will add international research experience.

Trilateral Collaboration: UCL, Global Disability Innovation Hub at UCL East, and Indian Partners entered a trilateral partnership to promote Assistive Technology (AT) innovation for persons with disabilities, with an aim to support startups and create a collaborative ecosystem across the regions.

India & UK Sign 350 million Euro Defence Agreement:

Agreement: India signed a 350 million Euro (USD 468 million) defence agreement with UK for the supply of Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs), also known as Martlet missiles, to the Indian Army (IA).

Features: The Marlet Missiles, manufactured by Thales at its facility in Belfast (Northern Ireland), is a versatile, precision-guided weapon system that can be deployed by infantry soldiers, integrated with armoured vehicles, and mounted on helicopters and naval platforms.

• It has a range of up to 6 Kilometres (Km) and can travel at speeds exceeding Mach 1.5, providing the IA with a highly mobile and effective tactical weapon.

About United Kingdom (UK):
Prime Minister (PM) – Keir Starmer
Capital – London
Currency – Pound Sterling, GBP