The North News
New Delhi, July 24
In a landmark moment for UK–India relations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday signed a long-awaited Free Trade Agreement (FTA), heralded by both sides as a turning point in their strategic and economic partnership. The agreement, finalised during Modi’s official visit to London, aims to deepen trade and investment links, bolster innovation, and generate employment across both economies. It marks the culmination of over three years of negotiations.
On May 6 this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart, Sir Keir Starmer, had a telephone conversation during which they welcomed the successful conclusion of the long-negotiated India–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), along with a complementary Double Contribution Convention. The two leaders described the agreements as a historic milestone in the evolving Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. They said the deal would foster trade, investment, innovation and job creation across both economies, marking a significant step forward in bilateral relations.
Both prime ministers acknowledged that the agreement between two major open-market economies would unlock new opportunities for businesses, strengthen economic linkages, and deepen people-to-people ties. Starmer had noted that reducing trade barriers and reinforcing alliances with key global partners was central to his government’s “Plan for Change”—an agenda aimed at delivering a stronger, more secure UK economy.
Modi and Starmer agreed that expanding economic and commercial ties remained a cornerstone of their increasingly multifaceted partnership. They emphasised that the FTA—covering trade in goods and services—would not only enhance bilateral trade and create employment but also raise living standards and enable joint development of globally relevant products and services.
