Mumbai: In a significant boost to the bilateral relationship, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer held a summit in Mumbai on Thursday, unveiling a series of landmark agreements across defence, education, trade and technology. Prime Minister Modi described India and the UK as “natural partners” whose relationship is founded on the shared values of Democracy freedom and the rule of law. He hailed the visit Mr. Starmer’s first to India as a symbol of the “new energy and comprehensive vision” in the India-UK partnership.
Historic Strides in Defence and Security
Defence cooperation has been elevated to a new level with the signing of a key agreement on military training. Under this pact Indian Air Force (IAF) Flying Instructors will serve as trainers in the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF). Both nations are also advancing towards defence co-production, aiming to connect their respective defence industries. The meeting coincided with the joint naval exercise “Konkan 2025” being conducted by the two countries’ naval ships.
A New Era in Education
The partnership is set for a transformative expansion in the education sector with the announcement that nine UK universities will establish campuses in India. Prime Minister Starmer was accompanied by the largest and most influential education delegation to date. Progress is already visible as Southampton University’s Gurugram campus was recently inaugurated and has enrolled its first cohort of students. Furthermore the construction for campuses of three other UK universities is underway in GIFT City.
Deepening Economic and Technological Ties
The leaders reviewed the progress of the historic Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) that was agreed upon in July. This agreement is expected to reduce import costs, create new employment opportunities for youth and boost trade. Highlighting the economic enthusiasm PM Starmer was accompanied by the largest-ever business delegation from the UK.
Several new technology-focused initiatives were also announced:
- Critical Minerals: An industry guild and a supply chain Observatory will be established for cooperation on critical minerals with a satellite campus to be located at ISM Dhanbad.
- Climate Technology: An “India-UK Offshore Wind Taskforce” will be formed, and a “Climate Technology Startup Fund” has been established to support innovators and entrepreneurs in climate, technology and AI.
- Innovation: A ‘Connectivity and Innovation Centre’ and a ‘Joint AI research Centre’ will be set up to connect the youth of both nations.During the talks the leaders also shared views on the Indo-Pacific, stability in West Asia and the conflict in Ukraine. PM Modi reiterated that India supports all efforts to restore peace in the Ukraine and Gaza issues through dialogue and diplomacy.
