PM basks in the warmth of an Indian welcome, but back in Britain, torrid times continue

Prime ministers often experience absurdly parallel lives on the world stage and at home - feted among fellow leaders and pilloried domestically.

- Jessica Elgot

Never was that more obvious than during the prime minister's trip to India this week, after a torrid month in Britain, where he arrived to find the motorways and backstreets of Mumbai papered with pictures of his face.

The motorcade that whisked Starmer from the airport to India's business capital passed a total of 5,700 posters welcoming Starmer to Mumbai. Streets were closed and platforms were built for dancers and musicians to play for that fleeting second that the cars went past.

Modi had visited Britain for an overnight stay at Chequers this summer. Had the same happened for him, the equivalent would have been thousands of billboards with the Indian premier's face adorning the M40. What he got - according to aides - was a souvenir gingerbread.

Starmer flew into India to mark one of the standout successes of his first year in government, the clinching of the trade deal with India that had eluded his Tory predecessors.

He met Modi at the G20 this time last year in Rio de Janeiro where he told the Indian prime minister that the talks should either be stepped up or the two sides should conclude it was never going to happen.