British PM Starmer arrives in Mumbai on historic India visit, set to meet PM Modi today

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- MPOST BUREAU

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Mumbai on Wednesday for a landmark two-day visit, marking his first trip to India since taking office in July.

Starmer, accompanied by the largest-ever UK trade delegation to India, was welcomed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and state Governor Acharya Dewrat.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended a warm reception to Starmer, calling the visit “historic” on X (formerly Twitter) and noting the significance of hosting the largest UK trade delegation in Indian history. Modi wrote, “Welcome Prime Minister Keir Starmer on your historic first visit to India with the largest-ever trade delegation from the UK. Looking forward to our meeting tomorrow for advancing our shared vision of a stronger, mutually prosperous future”

Starmer flew in with a delegation of 125 of the UK’s most prominent business leaders, entrepreneurs, and university vice chancellors, including top executives from Rolls Royce, British Telecom, Diageo, London Stock Exchange, and British Airways.

The delegation is expected to play a central role in leveraging the opportunities under the recently inked UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a landmark free trade deal signed in July during Modi's visit to London.

"This trade deal is not just a piece of paper.

A launchpad for growth," Starmer said upon arrival.

"With India set to become the third-largest global economy by 2028, and trade between our countries becoming quicker and cheaper, the opportunities waiting to be seized are unparalleled." The agreement, hailed as the best secured by any country with India, is designed to cut tariffs, increase market access, and double bilateral trade by 2030.