PM Modi arrives in London, aims to strengthen India-UK ties
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PM Modi arrives in London for 2-day UK visit, trade deal key focus
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in London for a two-day visit to the UK. He will meet with British Prime Minister David Cameron. The visit is part of a push for a free trade agreement between the UK and India. The two countries are expected to sign a deal by the end of the year. It would be the second time in a year that the two leaders have met at a G20 summit. The first time was in Rio de Janeiro in June, when they met at the G7 summit in Brazil. The U.S. and India are the world’s second and third largest economies, respectively.
The Prime Minister was received at the airport by UK Foreign Office Minister in charge of the Indo-Pacific Catherine West, along with Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Dorsaiswami and British High Commissioner to New Delhi Lindy Cameron.
Upon arrival, PM Modi was welcomed by enthusiastic groups of community leaders, students, and parliamentarians gathered on the outskirts of London.
“It’s a great achievement for both the governments, and especially for the Indian diaspora, which is really excited to see the Prime Minister here after so many years. He’s again here for a very short visit, but at least we get a chance to greet him,” said Kuldeep Shekhawat, President of the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) diaspora group to the news agency PTI.
During his visit, he is scheduled to hold wide-ranging discussions with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and meet King Charles III. Starmer will host him at Chequers, the British prime minister’s official country residence near London.
The centrepiece of the visit is expected to be the signing of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and a renewed push to enhance the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).
“Our collaboration spans a wide range of sectors, including trade, investment, technology, innovation, defence, education, research, sustainability, health and people-to-people ties,” said PM Modi in his departure statement.
The leaders are likely to focus on enhancing economic ties, with an emphasis on prosperity, growth, and job creation in both countries. PM Modi’s visit underscores efforts to eliminate or reduce tariffs on imports and exports between the two nations under the proposed trade deal, which aims to make products from both countries more competitive. Both sides are targeting a bilateral trade volume of USD 120 billion by 2030.
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In 2023–24, bilateral trade between the two countries crossed USD 55 billion. The UK is India’s sixth-largest investor with USD 36 billion invested so far, while nearly 1,000 Indian companies in Britain employ around 1,00,000 people. Indian investments in the UK stand at close to USD 20 billion.
This visit marks PM Modi’s fourth to the United Kingdom since assuming office. He had previously visited in 2015, 2018, and in 2021 for the COP26 summit in Glasgow. Over the past year, Modi and Starmer have met twice—first at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro and more recently at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, in June.
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Published By: Akshat Trivedi Published On: Jul 24, 2025