Starmer Bets Big on India: Mission to Double Bilateral Trade by 2030

AP-POOL photo by Kin-Cheung 7th October 2025 As Prime Minister Keir Starmer embarks on his first official visit to India (8–9 October), the scale and ambition of the delegation send a clear message: the United Kingdom now views India as a central pillar of its long-term trade strategy. The recently concluded UK–India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) represents a decisive turning point. More than a conventional trade deal, it signals a strategic shift — cutting tariffs on over 90 per cent of goods and widening market access across both goods and services. Negotiators on both sides are already focused on an even greater objective: doubling bilateral trade by 2030. To put this in context, trade in goods and services in the year to March 2025 was valued at approximately £44.1 billion. Doubling that figure would push the relationship towards, or beyond, £88 billion — a striking illustration of the shared ambition now driving both nations. The breadth of the delegation accompanying the Prime Minister underscores the significance of the mission. More than one hundred business leaders, university vice-chancellors, and figures from technology, culture, and innovation are travelling to India. This is a working visit, not a symbolic tour — designed to secure agreements, strengthen partnerships, and build the foundations for deep, long-term economic engagement. It reflects a marked shift in mindset: India is no longer treated as a secondary market but as a cornerstone of the UK’s future growth strategy. Symbolism will play its part when Starmer meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai — India’s financial powerhouse and a city emblematic of the country’s dynamism and scale. Choosing Mumbai for such a meeting highlights the central role that commerce, investment, and economic cooperation will play in the evolving partnership. The timing of the visit could hardly be more pertinent. India is on track to become the world’s third-largest economy, with growth exceeding 6 per cent annually and forecast to reach as high as 8 per cent this year. Its economic momentum, demographic strength, and expanding global influence ensure it will shape the international landscape in the decades ahead. For the UK, forging a position within that story is both strategic and forward-looking. This visit is therefore about more than agreements or diplomatic ceremony. It is about signalling intent, building momentum, and recognising that the UK’s economic future will increasingly align with India’s rise on the global stage.