jennifer mckernanpolitical reporter
Getty ImagesSir Keir Starmer hailed the UK-India trade deal as a “launching pad” towards closer ties after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai.
The two leaders met to discuss ways to expand business and trade ties after signing a landmark trade deal in July.
Sir Keir’s two-day visit to India’s financial capital was attended by the UK’s largest ever trade delegation, comprising over 100 CEOs, entrepreneurs, university vice-chancellors and cultural leaders.
Among the other issues the two prime ministers discussed was the war in Ukraine, as India continues to buy Russian fossil fuels and help finance President Vladimir Putin’s wars.
Lord Keir said the trade deal was “huge” for the UK and was “the most ambitious trade deal India has ever undertaken”.
He told a press conference: “This trade deal is the starting point for increasing Britain’s leadership in everything from technology to life sciences, renewable energy and beyond…”
“The opportunity is clear, just look at the sheer size of India, the world’s largest democracy, which is set to become the third largest economy by 2028.”
During the meeting, the prime minister said the two men discussed “the need for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, the need for stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region, and the need for cooperation in key areas such as climate and energy, including moving away from dependence on fossil fuels.”
Asked whether he had raised the issue of India buying Russian oil, Sir Keir told reporters: “Yes, we have discussed that with President Modi this morning and we have taken our respective steps to resolve the dispute.”
Prime Minister Modi, who has described himself as a friend of President Putin, has indicated that he wants to see the Ukraine war end through “dialogue and diplomacy”.
Sir Keir said he also took up the case of British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johar, who has been held in an Indian prison for seven years without being convicted.
WPA Pool/Getty ImagesThe Prime Minister received a warm welcome when he arrived in India, with thousands of giant photographs of him and Modi lined up on the streets of Mumbai.
On Thursday, Sir Keir announced that more British universities would open campuses in India, which the government said would provide a £50m boost to the economy.
Confirming that the University of Lancaster and the University of Surrey have been approved to build new campuses, he said: “I am delighted that more Indian students will be able to benefit from a world-class British education in the near future. This will strengthen the relationship between our two countries, while also bringing millions of people back into our economy and supporting domestic jobs.”
The UK is expanding its network of international campuses in India, with York University, Aberdeen University and Queen’s University Belfast among them expected to open campuses as early as next year.
On his first day, Sir Keir met with Nandan Nilekani, the founder of India’s digital ID system, in the wake of plans to introduce digital ID to people working in the UK.
More than 2.8 million people have signed a petition opposing the government’s plans to introduce compulsory digital IDs for people to prove their right to work in the UK. However, Downing Street insists it will curb the illegal employment of immigrants and is determined to continue doing so.
The government says the UK-India trade deal, which is yet to be implemented, has already resulted in £1 billion of investment and around 7,000 jobs being created in the UK.
Under the deal, the UK will reduce taxes on imports from India, including clothing, footwear, jewellery, and frozen seafood, while India will reduce import duties on Scotch whisky, cosmetics, medical equipment and luxury cars.
