British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he wanted a trade deal with India to be implemented as soon as “humanly possible” as he began a two-day visit on Wednesday, even as the PM ruled out relaxing visa rules for Indians.
Starmer is leading a delegation of more than 100 companies such as Rolls Royce, Diageo, British Telecom and cultural leaders and university vice-chancellors to Mumbai in his first visit as PM to India, following the signing of the trade deal in July.
The India-UK Comprehensive Treaty signed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Starmer is yet to come into effect as it is under scrutiny of the UK Parliament which must ratify it. The agreement is expected to be operational sometimes in 2026.
“It provides huge opportunities,” Starmer told the delegates of the trade mission on arrival in Mumbai, adding he had asked his team to implement the deal as “quickly as humanly possible”.
“I think the opportunities are already opening up... Our job is to make it easier for you to seize the opportunities.”
Starmer will hold bilateral talks with Modi on Thursday.
The deal between the world’s fifth- and sixth-largest economies aims to increase bilateral trade by a further $34 billion by 2040.
“It’s just not a piece of paper, it’s a launchpad for growth,” Starmer said referring to the July deal. “With India set to be the third biggest economy in the world by 2028, and trade with them about to become quicker and cheaper, the opportunities waiting to be seized are unparallel,” he said.
The trade deal is aimed to cut tariffs on UK cars and whiskey while creating access for Indian textiles, footwear, carpets, automobiles, seafood and fresh fruits in Britain.
Visa routes
While Starmer was gung-ho on bilateral trade and investment opportunities, he said there were no plans to open up more visa routes to Indian workers or students.
Speaking to reporters on the plane on the way to Mumbai, the UK PM said visas “played no part” in the trade deal with India and that situation had not changed.
Speaking in India, Starmer said no business leaders he had met had “raised with me the question of visas” during his trip.
Bollywood in Britain
Three new Bollywood films will be made in Britain from next year, Starmer announced during a visit to Yash Raj Studio in Mumbai with actress Rani Mukerji by his side. Yash Raj will bring major productions to Britain from early 2026 after an eight-year break from filming in the country.
“Bollywood is back in Britain, and it’s bringing jobs, investment and opportunity, all while showcasing the UK as a world-class destination for global filmmaking,” Starmer said in a statement.
