MUMBAI: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer touted "unparalleled" opportunities opening up in India as he made his inaugural visit to the country on Wednesday (Oct 8), seeking to promote a trade deal signed this summer.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Starmer and what he called "the largest ever trade delegation from the UK", saying in a statement that he hoped to bolster their "shared vision of a stronger, mutually prosperous future".
The two-day visit comes after the countries signed a major trade accord in London in July.
"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 unparalleled," Starmer said.
India and its former colonial ruler are the world's fifth- and sixth-largest economies, with bilateral trade worth around $54.8 billion and investments supporting more than 600,000 jobs across both countries.
Starmer, whose 125-member delegation includes business leaders like British Airways chief executive Sean Doyle, called the recent trade deal the "biggest" India had ever struck.
"I've asked the team to implement it as quickly as humanly possible... but I think it's already changing the mood music, frankly," he told the delegation.
"I think the opportunities are already opening up, the contact has already increased, trade with India went up hugely in the last 12 months, and climbing."
- Bollywood blockbusters -
Under the new deal, India will slash tariffs on imports of British goods such as whisky, cosmetics and medical devices, while Britain will reduce duties on clothing, footwear and food products, including frozen prawns from India.
Starmer also said three new Bollywood blockbusters will be made in the UK from next year as he wrapped up his visit to the famed Yash Raj Film studio.
"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," he said.
Starmer also visited a new Premier League community programme where he met aspiring young Indian footballers and coaches.
The Premier League is one of the UK's most successful cultural exports, and generates $13 billion of value to the economy, supporting over 100,000 jobs.
More football fans in India now watch the Premier League (71 million) than the entire population of the UK.
"I'm hugely proud of our national sport -- it brings communities together and changes lives," he said.
However, Starmer ruled out expanding visa access for Indian professionals despite pressure.
"That isn't part of the plan," he told reporters en route to Mumbai.
"We're here now to take advantage of the free trade agreement that we've already struck. We've got to implement it."
Rights groups have urged Starmer to raise the case of Scottish Sikh blogger Jagtar Singh Johal, detained in India since 2017 over an alleged plot to kill right-wing Hindu leaders.
He has not been convicted, and one of the nine charges against him was dismissed in March.
Starmer is due to meet Modi on Thursday, and to address a fintech conference in Mumbai alongside him. - AFP
