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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the United Kingdom on Thursday to finalise a landmark free trade agreement with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The brief trip, Modi’s fourth to Britain since assuming office in 2014, will also include a meeting with King Charles III.
The much-anticipated deal, announced in May, aims to strengthen economic ties between the two nations. The UK government estimates the agreement could add £4.8 billion ($6.5 billion) annually to the British economy, with overall trade between the two countries expected to increase by £25.5 billion. Britain and India currently rank as the world’s sixth and fifth largest economies, respectively, with bilateral trade worth around £41 billion. Investments between the two also support over 600,000 jobs.
Describing the accord as a “major win for Britain,” Starmer noted on Wednesday that the agreement is a significant step for his administration, which is grappling with a sluggish economy marked by persistent inflation and stagnant growth.
The deal will remove tariffs on British exports such as whisky, cosmetics and medical equipment to India, while the UK will reduce import duties on Indian garments, footwear, and food items including frozen prawns.
Before departing India, Modi hailed the momentum the UK-India partnership has achieved in recent years. He expressed optimism that the visit would further promote shared prosperity, job creation, and mutual growth.
Beyond trade, Starmer and Modi are expected to address sensitive issues, including the tragic Air India plane crash that occurred on 12 June. The crash, which took place shortly after a flight departed from Ahmedabad for London, claimed 241 lives — including 169 Indian nationals and 52 British citizens — making it one of the deadliest aviation disasters involving British passengers.
There are growing concerns about the handling of victims’ remains. A lawyer representing 20 British families, James Healy-Pratt, told the Press Association that some coffins contained “co-mingled” remains, and one family was informed that a coffin bore the wrong body entirely. Families are urging Starmer to raise these allegations with Modi during the visit.
Another contentious issue likely to surface is the detention of Scottish Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal. He has been imprisoned in India since 2017 on terrorism-related charges, though he has not been convicted and was cleared of one of nine charges earlier this year. His brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, said the case should be “high on the agenda” during bilateral discussions.
Modi and Starmer have already met twice in recent months — at the G7 summit in Canada and the G20 gathering in Brazil — but this visit marks their first bilateral summit in the UK.
