From Trade to Tech: Key Outcomes of Prime Minister Modi’s UK Visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United Kingdom on 23–24 July 2025 marked a decisive moment in resetting and elevating the UK–India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, delivering concrete economic, security, technological, and people‑to‑people gains. During intensive bilateral engagements at Chequers, London, and a formal audience with His Majesty King Charles III, the visit advanced shared ambitions under the newly adopted India–UK Vision 2035 and culminated in the signing of a landmark Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)—all underscored by commitments in trade liberalisation, investment, mobility, emerging‑technology cooperation, climate action, defence collaboration, and cultural ties.

At Chequers—the official country residence of the British Prime Minister—PM Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer formally concluded the long‑awaited India–UK Free Trade Agreement, hailed as the most significant bilateral trade accord since Brexit. The agreement eliminates or sharply reduces tariffs on 99 percent of Indian exports to the UK, including textiles, footwear, gems and jewellery, food and agriculture, while UK exports especially Scotch whisky, English gin, cars, aerospace parts, and lamb, will see average import duties fall from 15 percent to around 3 percent, with whisky duties halved immediately and phased further to around 40 percent over ten years; car tariffs cut from over 100 percent to 10 percent under quota regimes.

Leaders celebrated that the FTA is expected to boost bilateral trade by approximately £25.5 billion annually by 2040, adding nearly £5 billion per year to the UK economy. The leaders also welcomed nearly £6 billion in new investment commitments, especially in tech, AI, aerospace, and dairy.

In their one‑on‑one and delegation‑level talks, PM Modi and PM Starmer adopted the India–UK Vision 2035, a forward‑looking roadmap to guide cooperation on the economy, trade, education, technology, climate action, health, defence, and people‑to‑people engagement over the next decade. They also finalised a Defence Industrial Roadmap to enable co‑design, co‑development, and co‑production of defence systems for joint needs and global markets. The Technology and Security Initiative (TSI) celebrating its first anniversary was reaffirmed, focusing on cooperation in AI, semiconductors, biotech, quantum science, critical minerals, telecom security, advanced materials, and health‑tech innovation.

The agreement also paves the way for a Double Contribution Convention to reduce cross‑border social security costs for professionals and posted workers, enhancing mobility and easing the cost of doing business. Access for UK firms to India’s public procurement was also expanded: government tenders exceeding ₹2 billion (approximately £38 billion per year) are now open to UK businesses. Both Prime Ministers flagged enhanced collaboration in education, noting six UK universities including the University of Southampton’s new Gurugram campus under India’s New Education Policy are establishing operations in India.

Recognizing domestic and diaspora contributions, the leaders highlighted the Indian community in the UK as a critical bridge in academia, arts, medicine, business, sports, literature, and politics, reinforcing the cultural and people‑to‑people foundation of the bilateral partnership. They also addressed pressing security issues: PM Modi sought UK cooperation on terrorism‑related fugitives and economic offenders, and both leaders recommitted to global counter‑terror and extremism cooperation. Regional and global issues—from developments in the Indo‑Pacific and West Asia to the Russia‑Ukraine conflict—were also discussed in the context of reinforcing multilateral institutions and ensuring a stable and fair global order.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi had a formal audience with His Majesty King Charles III at Sandringham in Norfolk, conveying India’s commitment to sustainable development and cultural diplomacy through the gift of a sapling under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” initiative; the royal household confirmed it will be planted in autumn.

A high‑level meeting with senior business leaders from sectors like pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, automobiles, textiles, energy, telecom, logistics, IT and financial services followed the FTA signing. Modi and Starmer encouraged them to capitalise on opportunities unlocked by the new agreement to deepen partnerships in trade, innovation and investment. Industry captains voiced optimism that the accord would support job creation, inclusive growth, and global competitiveness.

The visit concluded with PM Modi acknowledging the depth and future orientation of the partnership, inviting PM Starmer to visit India at the earliest convenience. Both governments explicitly underscored that this visit has delivered substantial outcomes: the signing of CETA, adoption of Vision 2035, enhanced mobility and investment frameworks, deeper defence and technology collaboration, and strengthened institutional ties that set the stage for decade‑long strategic alignment.

In sum, Narendra Modi’s UK visit delivered major strategic and economic breakthroughs, elevating India–UK relations to a new level of ambition with lasting frameworks for cooperation in trade, technology, defence, education, climate and diaspora engagement. The visit’s outcomes present a solid platform for shared prosperity and global leadership under the renewed India–UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.