Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the United Kingdom on Wednesday as part of the first leg of his two-nation tour, with India and the UK poised to strengthen bilateral ties through a potential Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
PM Modi landed in London for a two-day official visit, during which he is expected to hold discussions with his British counterpart, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, to explore new avenues for economic cooperation and job creation in both nations.
“Landed in London. This visit will go a long way in advancing the economic partnership between our nations. The focus will be on furthering prosperity, growth and boosting job creation for our people. A strong India-UK friendship is essential for global progress,” PM Narendra Modi said in a post on X after arriving in British capital.
This marks PM Modi’s fourth visit to the UK since assuming office. He previously visited in 2015 and 2018, and again in 2021 for the COP26 summit in Glasgow.
In his departure statement, the PM said that India and the UK share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), which has made substantial progress in recent years.
“Our collaboration spans a wide range of sectors, including trade, investment, technology, innovation, defence, education, research, sustainability, health, and people-to-people ties,” he said.
The India-UK partnership was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2021, and since then, the two countries have maintained regular high-level engagements. Both sides remain committed to further advancing this relationship.
The ongoing negotiations for the India-UK FTA aim to eliminate or reduce tariffs on imports and exports between the two countries, making goods from both sides more competitive. The deal is projected to boost bilateral trade to USD 120 billion by 2030.
Following his UK visit, PM Modi will travel to the Maldives for the second leg of his tour.
(ANI)
