On Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed an invitation to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to visit India, after a telephonic exchange during which the two leaders reviewed the successful negotiations of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Double Contribution Convention.
The two leaders welcomed the agreement as a landmark in their bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, asserting that it would stimulate trade, investment, innovation, and employment in both nations.
In a statement released after the call, the two leaders indicated that they acknowledged that agreements between two significant global economies are of extraordinary significance and are anticipated to create new business opportunities, deepen economic relations, and increase people-to-people exchanges.
Prime Minister Starmer emphasized that the UK's dedication to creating safer and stronger international partnerships and minimizing trade obstacles is at the heart of its 'Plan for Change,' in order to build a more resilient and secure economy.
The two leaders reaffirmed that deepening economic and trading relationships between India and the UK is a core pillar of their growing dynamic and multi-dimensional partnership. The FTA, encompassing goods and services trade, is projected to significantly increase bilateral trade, generate new job opportunities, enhance the standard of living, as well as the overall quality of life for the people in both countries. The agreement will also possess a potential to offer the two countries new opportunities to work together to create goods and services for international markets. This agreement seals the strong foundation of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and ushered in a new era of partnership and growth.
This vision-based agreement complements India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and brings to life the development aspirations of the two nations.
This follows the exchange of perspectives between the two Prime Ministers during the G-20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024. After their meeting, serious FTA talks were restarted in February 2025, with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State Jonathan Reynolds heading the talks along with their respective teams.
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