NEW DELHI– Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold wide-ranging discussions with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his two-day visit to London beginning Wednesday, with a strong focus on boosting the India–UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), particularly in the areas of trade, technology, defense, and climate cooperation.
“This will be the Prime Minister’s fourth visit to the United Kingdom since taking office. He previously visited in 2015, 2018, and 2021 for the COP26 Summit in Glasgow,” said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri at a special media briefing on Tuesday ahead of the Prime Minister’s visits to the UK and Maldives.
“In the past year alone, Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Starmer have met twice—once on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro and most recently in June during the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada. They have also remained in regular contact by phone,” Misri added.
The two leaders are expected to discuss the full spectrum of India–UK relations, with particular emphasis on trade and economy, technology and innovation, defense and security, climate change, health, education, and people-to-people connections. Prime Minister Modi will also meet with King Charles III and engage with UK business leaders and the Indian diaspora.
“Apart from summit-level engagements, there are regular interactions at the level of the External Affairs Minister and the British Foreign Secretary,” said Misri. “Multiple ministerial-level institutional mechanisms address strategic, economic, energy, and science and technology issues. Today, sectors like business, technology, research, education, and innovation have become key pillars of our bilateral partnership.”
The Technology-Security Initiative (TSI), signed last year and approaching its first anniversary, is a major indicator of growing collaboration in critical and emerging technologies.
Highlighting robust trade ties, Misri noted that bilateral trade between India and the UK reached $55 billion in FY 2023–24. The UK is India’s sixth-largest investor with cumulative investments of $36 billion, while India has invested around $20 billion in the UK. Nearly 1,000 Indian companies operate in the UK, employing close to 100,000 people and generating combined revenues of $91 billion.
He also referenced the UK–India Infrastructure Financing Bridge, a collaboration between NITI Aayog and the City of London to leverage UK expertise for financing green infrastructure and renewable energy projects in India.
On defense ties, Misri said, “There are regular military exchanges and joint exercises involving all three branches of our armed forces. We have placed military instructors at each other’s academies. One significant recent initiative is our collaboration on developing electric propulsion technology.”
The Foreign Secretary also noted the co-development of a malaria vaccine by the Serum Institute of India and Oxford University, which was approved by the World Health Organization in 2023. This follows earlier collaboration on the Covishield COVID-19 vaccine.
Education cooperation is also expanding, with the University of Southampton opening a campus in Gurugram under India’s new education policy. Several other UK institutions are exploring similar initiatives.
Misri emphasized the vital role of the Indian diaspora in the UK, describing it as a “living bridge” between the two nations. “Nearly 1.8 million people of Indian origin in the UK have strengthened bonds of friendship between our countries and made extremely valuable contributions to British society and the economy,” he said.
India–UK relations were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2021 and have since evolved into a robust, multi-dimensional, and mutually beneficial relationship. The two nations maintain five ministerial-level institutional mechanisms covering strategic affairs, economic and financial policy, trade, energy, and science and technology. Recent engagements have included Foreign Office Consultations, the Defence Consultative Group, and the 2+2 Dialogue on foreign and defense matters.
The two countries also maintain a strong climate partnership. The UK is an active participant in India-led initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). The joint “One Sun One World One Grid – Green Grid” initiative was launched during COP26 in Glasgow. The UK continues to provide technical input to CDRI efforts, including the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) program for Small Island Developing States. Climate finance remains a key area of collaboration. (Source: IANS)
