UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Mumbai on Wednesday for his first official visit to India, aiming to cement one of Britain’s largest post-Brexit trade deals. 

Starmer was welcomed by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat in a ceremony that, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, marks “a new chapter” in the “strong and dynamic partnership” between both nations. 

Joined by over a hundred business and cultural leaders, Starmer’s main focus is the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), signed last July.

The deal, part of the “Vision 2035” roadmap for strategic partnership, will remove tariffs on more than 90% of goods — including cutting the duty on Scotch whisky from 150% to 75%. 

On Thursday, Starmer is set to meet his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to discuss the next steps of the trade pact and explore new cooperation areas.

Both leaders will also speak at the Global Fintech Fest and the CEO Forum in Mumbai, which will promote the bilateral Technology Security Initiative (TSI), fostering collaboration in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology. 

Starmer’s agenda in India

Starmer’s itinerary includes a visit to the iconic Yash Raj film studios, attending a football event, and holding talks with India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, as well as leading industrial figures. 

From the Indian side, Jyoti Vij, Director General of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), noted that the visit comes at a decisive time to translate the deal into “tangible trade outcomes” in sectors like advanced manufacturing, green finance, and digital innovation. 

The British delegation accompanying the Prime Minister includes representatives from Rolls-Royce, British Telecom, Diageo, the London Stock Exchange, and British Airways — all seeking to expand their footprint in the Indian market. As one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, India is on track to become the third-largest global power before 2030.

The India–UK agreement opens a market of over 1.4 billion people to British goods and services — particularly in finance, technology, and professional sectors — strengthening a key economic axis in the Indo-Pacific region.