British PM Starmer hails India opportunities after trade deal

MUMBAI - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday praised the "unparalleled" opportunities in India opening up after London and New Delhi signed a landmark free trade agreement, capping years of intense negotiations.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Starmer and what he called "the largest ever trade delegation from the UK", saying in a statement that he hoped to bolster their "shared vision of a stronger, mutually prosperous future".

Starmer, on his first official trip to India, is accompanied by a 125-member delegation that includes top business leaders including British Airways chief executive Sean Doyle.

The two-day visit follows his July meeting with Modi in London, where the pair signed the trade accord.

"With India set to be the third biggest economy in the world by 2028, and trade with them about to become quicker and cheaper, the opportunities waiting to be seized are unparalleled," Starmer said.

India and its former colonial ruler are the world's fifth- and sixth-largest economies, with bilateral trade worth around $54.8 billion and investments supporting more than 600,000 jobs across both countries.

Starmer is due to meet Modi on Thursday, and address a fintech conference in Mumbai alongside him.

'CHANGING THE MOOD'

Starmer, who met with the business delegation before heading to a Bollywood film studio, touted the recent trade deal as the "biggest" India had ever struck.

"I've asked the team to implement it as quickly as humanly possible... but I think it's already changing the mood music, frankly," he told the delegation.

"I think the opportunities are already opening up, the contact has already increased, trade with India went up hugely in the last 12 months, and climbing."

Under the new deal, India will slash tariffs on imports of British goods such as whisky, cosmetics and medical devices, while Britain will reduce duties on clothing, footwear and food products, including frozen prawns from India.

However, Starmer ruled out expanding visa access for Indian professionals despite pressure from industry.

"That isn't part of the plan," he told reporters en route to Mumbai.

"We're here now to take advantage of the free trade agreement that we've already struck. We've got to implement it."

Rights groups have urged Starmer to raise the case of Scottish Sikh blogger Jagtar Singh Johal, detained in India since 2017 over an alleged plot to kill right-wing Hindu leaders.

He has not been convicted, and one of the nine charges against him was dismissed in March.