Mumbai/New Delhi, Oct 8 (UNI) UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Mumbai today at the head of a delegation of 125 of the UK’s most prominent CEOs, including from Rolls Royce and British Airways, as well as university Vice Chancellors and cultural institutions. He is to hold talks with PM Modi in Mumbai tomorrow.
The visit comes as British Airways has confirmed it will introduce a third daily flight between Delhi and London Heathrow in 2026, subject to regulatory and capacity approval, and will look for further growth opportunities in the country as trade between the UK and India increases.
Following the signature of the landmark UK-India trade deal in July this year, which will lower tariffs on British goods being imported into India, the door is now open for British businesses to turbocharge their trade with one of the fastest growing economies in the world, a British High Commission statement said.
Major household names such as Rolls Royce, British Telecom, Diageo, London Stock Exchange and British Airways join the Prime Minister’s delegation.
Growing SMEs and entrepreneurs from every region of the UK will also travel with the UK Prime Minister, recognising that the trade deal will break down barriers and support businesses of all shapes and sizes to trade more easily with India.
The 125-strong delegation marks the largest ever UK government trade mission to India.
The trade deal has been acknowledged as the best agreement ever secured by any country with India. Under current projections, the deal is expected to raise bilateral trade by £25.5 billion per year, with UK exports to India projected to grow by nearly 60%. It significantly improves market access for businesses in both countries, leading to cheaper products and services for consumers.
The Prime Minister will personally commit to unlocking opportunities for Great British business to grow and expand during his two-day visit – securing investments and sealing deals that directly benefit the British people.
India is one of the fastest-growing economies globally, currently the fourth largest and projected to become the third largest by 2028.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “We signed a major trade deal with India in July – the best secured by any country – but the story doesn’t stop there.
“It’s not just a piece of paper, it’s a launchpad for growth. 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.”
Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said: “We’ve shown there is no limit on our ambition to grow trade with India – in less than a year we’ve gone from restarting talks on a deal, to bringing 125 brilliant business leaders to its commercial capital.
“Our deal is the best any country has ever secured with India and places British businesses at the front of the queue to access a huge and ever-growing market.
“Now we are hitting the ground running and using every means necessary to ready businesses to take full advantage of the massive wins we’ve secured once the deal comes into force so we can deliver growth, jobs, and prosperity at home.”
Thanks to the deal, India’s average tariff on UK products will drop from 15% to 3% – which means British companies selling products to India, from soft drinks and cosmetics to cars and medical devices, will find it easier to sell to the Indian market.
Whisky producers will particularly benefit from tariffs being reduced immediately from 150% to 75%, and then dropped even further to 40% over the next 10 years – giving the UK an advantage over international competitors in reaching the Indian market.
The deal particularly benefits SMEs, as improved customs and digital commitments will make trade quicker, cheaper, and easier. In addition, bespoke support for SMEs, such as dedicated contact points, will help them enter the Indian market. A number of SMEs are travelling with the Prime Minister as they look to expand into India, hopefully creating an entire new generation of business.
Sean Doyle, Chairman and Chief Executive of British Airways, said: “I am delighted to take part in this important trade mission. Our ties with India were established over 100 years ago and today we have around 2,500 British Airways colleagues based there. We’ve been steadily increasing capacity between India and the UK over the years and we’re now operating 56 direct services from five Indian cities each week.
“The Free Trade Agreement with India will boost economic momentum between our two countries and British Airways really sits at the centre of that activity, acting as an enabler for increased trade. We will develop our own network alongside increased economic activity so the FTA for our business is very good news.
“As the airline that offers the biggest network of any European carrier into the North Atlantic, we also help connect India to the US and beyond, so when you add this factor into the mix, there’s a lot to be excited about for our two connected economies.”
Manchester Airport will also launch a new direct route to Delhi operated by IndiGo, adding to its existing Mumbai service and making it the only UK airport outside London with connections to both cities. The expansion is expected to generate over £50 million in annual exports, £25 million in tourism income, and 450 new jobs, while boosting productivity and research collaboration.
Fourteen university Vice Chancellors are also joining the delegation in recognition of the explosion in demand for higher education in India – with 70 million places needed by 2035, which has created a huge opportunity for UK universities seeking new funding streams.
Some of the UK’s biggest cultural institutions such as the British Film Institute and the National Theatre are also joining the trip – opening new doors for creative exports, co-productions, museum and heritage partnerships, talent exchange, and joint initiatives across film, fashion, sport, and digital culture.
The visit follows Prime Minister Modi’s trip to the UK in July, where the trade deal was signed and nearly £6 billion in new investment and export wins were confirmed.
The UK Prime Minister will meet with Prime Minister Modi on Thursday, for talks on strengthening the UK-India relationship even further, including via the Technology Security Initiative originally signed a year ago.
In recognition of technology as an engine for growth in the UK and beyond, the two leaders will aim to enhance the UK-India partnership across artificial intelligence, telecoms and defence technology – creating new opportunities for businesses to invest and grow, while bolstering our national security.
India is fast becoming one of the world’s most significant technology players – with a tech sector expected to be valued at £1 trillion by 2030.
