A New Chapter

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to India, starting today, is politically significant as it reinforces the new era of cooperation. The visit aims to consolidate economic gains and deepen strategic ties across key sectors and signals the Labour Party’s commitment to prioritising trade and diplomatic engagement with key partners in the Indo-Pacific, a crucial element of the “Global Britain” strategy post-Brexit.

For India, welcoming the UK prime minister reinforces the idea of the “living bridge”—the strong cultural and personal connections between the two nations, supported by a large Indian diaspora in the UK. The reciprocal nature of the visits—PM Modi’s visit to the UK in July, followed by Starmer’s trip to India in October—is a signal that the relationship is very important for both governments.

Starmer’s visit is focused on strengthening the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which was signed in July 2025 during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to the UK. The meeting is intended to capitalise on the momentum generated by PM Modi’s visit and discuss opportunities arising from the FTA. Both leaders will engage with business and industry leaders in Mumbai to promote trade and investment under the new agreement.

The collaboration on trade is set against the backdrop of global turbulence and trade protectionism from the US, offering both countries a more resilient partnership. Beyond trade, the visit aims to advance the broader “Vision 2035” roadmap for strategic partnership. Talks will focus on technology cooperation, including artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, fintech, and cybersecurity. The leaders will also attend the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai.

The two leaders are expected to exchange views on wider regional and global matters, including global economic security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The visit is also an opportunity to make progress on sensitive, long-standing issues that have previously strained relations. India’s long-standing commitment to strategic autonomy creates friction with the UK and other Western nations. New Delhi maintains close ties with countries that have difficult or adversarial relationships with the UK, such as Russia and Iran. India’s dependence on Russian military equipment and energy supplies limits its alignment with the UK, particularly concerning the war in Ukraine. India’s policy of strategic autonomy conflicts with the UK’s foreign policy positions, such as its stance on the Russia-Ukraine war.

Years of political instability and rapid leadership changes in the UK had delayed progress on bilateral relations and the FTA. The new Labour government is committed to strengthening ties, but domestic challenges and its own immigration policies could still be an obstacle. Despite these hurdles, both countries have publicly committed to advancing the relationship, including finalising a comprehensive trade agreement.

The visit builds on progress made on a Defence Industrial Roadmap to promote collaboration in co-design, co-development, and co-production of defence products. Following high-level agreements in 2025, the India-UK defence industrial map is defined by a strategic 10-year roadmap focused on co-development and co-production of advanced defence technologies. This collaboration marks a significant shift from a buyer-seller relationship to one of joint innovation and industrial partnership.

Current obstacles to India-UK relations include difficulties in implementing the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), India’s concerns over anti-India extremist groups operating in the UK, and tensions surrounding visa and migration policies. While a trade agreement was reached in July 2025, several issues remain unresolved before it can be implemented. A significant challenge is the UK’s planned carbon tax, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), set for implementation in January 2027. Since the FTA does not include an exemption for India, exports from carbon-intensive Indian sectors like steel and aluminium could face additional costs, negating tariff benefits.

India desires increased mobility for its skilled professionals in sectors like IT and healthcare. The FTA includes provisions for professional mobility, but these are primarily for short-term business visits. Full mobility for Indian professionals remains a point of contention due to the UK’s restrictive domestic immigration policies. The UK has been hesitant to liberalise visa access for Indian workers and students, a major Indian demand. While recent agreements have facilitated the temporary movement of some skilled workers, overall UK immigration policy remains restrictive. Discussions are likely to cover migration and visa rules, which have historically been a complex part of the negotiations.

Khalistan extremism in the UK also poses challenges and harms India-UK ties by creating diplomatic friction, inciting violence against Indian government interests and the Indian diaspora, and hindering collaboration on other vital issues. Incidents, including the vandalism of the Indian High Commission in London in 2023 and ongoing anti-India protests, have created diplomatic tensions. India has consistently raised these concerns with the UK, asserting that inaction amounts to misusing democratic freedoms to promote extremism.

While India has raised concerns about UK-based Khalistani extremism, it has been met with insufficient action. This can create distrust and hinder deeper cooperation on counter-terrorism and intelligence sharing.

UK extradition rules are also a problem for India because fugitives such as Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya exploit the UK’s legal system and lengthy appeal process to delay or block extradition. Despite a 1993 extradition treaty, UK courts can refuse extradition based on human rights concerns, such as the potential for unfair trial or mistreatment in Indian prisons, which has resulted in a low success rate for India’s extradition requests. There are concerns in India that some legal processes have been obstructed by UK lawyers and judges, with some believing that the UK has become a perceived “haven” for fugitives. The problems in getting fugitives from the UK extradited prevent India from prosecuting criminals and recovering stolen assets.

Summing up, India’s expectations from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit are centred on consolidating the recent Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), expanding cooperation under the “Vision 2035” roadmap, and addressing sensitive bilateral issues. For the UK, the visit showcases its commitment to strengthening alliances and securing trade deals beyond Europe following its departure from the European Union. It signals the Labour Party’s commitment to prioritising trade and diplomatic engagement with key partners in the Indo-Pacific, a crucial element of the “Global Britain” strategy post-Brexit. The visit serves to demonstrate that the two nations are committed to a modern, forward-looking relationship built on mutual economic and strategic priorities and reinforces the shared vision for a forward-looking partnership, aiming to strengthen economic, technological, and strategic links.

Views expressed are personal. The writer is a retired Indian diplomat and had previously served as Consul General in New York