Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold talks with his British counterpart Keir Starmer in Mumbai today to review the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership under the ‘Vision 2035’ roadmap. The meeting comes amid a renewed push to deepen bilateral cooperation across trade, defence, technology, climate and education.
Starmer, who arrived in Mumbai on Wednesday for a two-day official visit, is in India at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi. This marks his first official visit to India since assuming office. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two leaders will assess progress on the 10-year roadmap that outlines a time-bound agenda across key pillars of the strategic relationship.
The talks are expected to cover initiatives in trade and investment, technology and innovation, defence and security, climate and energy, health, education and people-to-people ties. Officials said both leaders would also exchange views on global and regional challenges, underscoring the growing geopolitical alignment between the two democracies.
One of the major areas of focus will be the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), described as a central pillar of the future India-UK economic partnership. Modi and Starmer will engage with business and industry leaders to explore new opportunities in this framework. The agreement, signed earlier this year, has already paved the way for increased bilateral trade, investment flows and job creation in both economies.
The two prime ministers are also scheduled to deliver keynote addresses at the 6th edition of the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai. The event will see policymakers, innovators and industry leaders deliberating on the evolving global financial ecosystem. India and the UK have been strengthening collaboration in fintech, capital markets and financial services, with a push to integrate Gujarat’s GIFT City with the UK’s financial hubs.
The visit builds on momentum from Modi’s July 2025 trip to the UK, during which the two leaders held talks at Chequers, the official country residence of the British Prime Minister. That meeting had elevated bilateral ties with the signing of the landmark CETA and the finalisation of a Defence Industrial Roadmap.
The defence roadmap is aimed at boosting collaboration in co-design, co-development and co-production of defence technologies and systems. Both governments had emphasised that such cooperation would not only serve their domestic requirements but also contribute to global markets. The growing engagement between the armed forces of both countries has reinforced this defence and security partnership.
Another significant outcome of earlier negotiations was the Double Contribution Convention, which came into effect along with CETA. The convention is designed to ease mobility for professionals and reduce costs for businesses operating across both jurisdictions, particularly in the services sector.
Officials note that today’s meeting will provide a platform to reaffirm the shared vision of India and the UK to build a forward-looking partnership under Vision 2035. The roadmap is seen as an anchor for sustained engagement across a wide spectrum of issues, with both governments keen to demonstrate tangible progress.
Starmer’s Mumbai visit also signals continuity in London’s approach to India, with the new government reiterating its commitment to deepen ties with New Delhi. The emphasis on trade, defence, climate action, and innovation reflects convergence in priorities that could shape bilateral relations for the next decade.
The MEA underscored that the visit would strengthen the foundations of the strategic partnership and send a strong signal of intent to industry, academia and civil society in both countries.
