UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Visit India on October 8–9; Talks with PM Modi to Focus on Trade, AI, and Global Issues
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will be on a visit to India from October 8 to 9. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Saturday that during the visit, Mr. Starmer and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will discuss “issues of regional and global importance.” The visit comes amid ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
This visit is expected to further boost bilateral trade, as it follows the signing of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between India and the UK a few months ago.
UK’s Minister for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Online Safety, Kanishka Narayan, said on Tuesday that PM Starmer’s visit to India this week would mark significant progress in areas of shared interest such as AI and emerging technologies. The British-Indian minister, speaking ahead of Starmer’s first official visit to India on October 8–9, said that a “remarkable foundation” has already been laid for UK-India collaboration in key areas including technology.
Narayan, who was recently appointed to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), noted that PM Starmer is visiting India on the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both leaders will address the sixth edition of the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai and will engage with industry experts, policymakers, and innovators.
Narayan said, “The Prime Minister’s visit to India will make significant progress in our shared interests in connectivity, AI, and emerging technologies.” He added, “India and the UK are prioritizing research, and both are equally focused on adopting these technologies in a democratic way. This visit aims to deepen that shared focus through practical collaboration.”
Born in Bihar, Labour MP Kanishka Narayan made history last year by becoming the first MP of Indian origin elected from Wales in the UK general elections. Narayan expressed excitement that the technology sector is one of the key focus areas of the bilateral partnership, with vast potential for collaboration.
He said, “There is an extraordinary base for collaboration between the two countries: research partnerships, deep and personal history, and a shared pursuit of the future. We can leverage these in concrete AI and online safety research opportunities, adopt AI products in our companies and public services, and ensure that AI and online experiences uphold the democratic values of both India and the UK.”