Overview

• Starmer arrived in Mumbai for a two‑day visit and will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 9 at Raj Bhavan before addressing the obal FiFintech Fest and a CEO forum.
• He is leading a roughly 125‑strong delegation of business leaders and institutional heads, billed by the UK as its largest government trade mission to India.
• The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement signed in July is not yet in force and still requires UK parliamentary ratification, with implementation not expected before early 2026.
• Talks will review the Vision 2035 roadmap and are set to prioritize fintech and advanced technologies under the India–UK Technology Security Initiative, alongside defence cooperation as Exercise Konkan takes place in the Arabian Sea.
• Starmer said visa rules will not be relaxed for Indian workers or students and that visa changes are not part of the trade deal, though sectoral benefits under the pact include significant tariff cuts such as on Scotch whisky once operational.