08/10/2025
Keir Starmer Lands in India with Record UK Trade Team to Seal £25 Billion Boost
Mumbai — Prime Minister Keir Starmer has arrived in India leading the UK’s biggest ever business delegation, aiming to turn the new UK-India trade deal into real economic results.
More than 125 business leaders, university chiefs and cultural figures are joining him in Mumbai for a two-day mission focused on jobs, exports and investment. The group includes major UK companies such as Rolls-Royce, BT, Diageo and British Airways.
The recently signed trade deal is expected to cut tariffs on British goods from around 15 percent to just 3 percent, opening the door for billions in new trade. Officials estimate it could add £25.5 billion to UK-India trade each year and boost Britain’s economy by nearly £5 billion annually.
British Airways has announced a third daily Heathrow-Delhi flight from 2026, and IndiGo will launch a new Manchester-Delhi route, deepening travel and business links.
Speaking before his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Starmer called the visit “a launchpad for growth” and said the UK is focused on “partnerships that deliver jobs and prosperity for both nations.”
The mission signals a reset in Britain’s approach to trade and diplomacy, with Starmer keen to show that the UK is serious about its global economic ties.