Video: PM Modi welcomes UK counterpart Keir Starmer ahead of bilateral talks in Mumbai

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed his British counterpart Keir Starmer in Mumbai ahead of bilateral talks on Thursday, 9 October.

Modi and Starmer met at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai. The two leaders held talks to further strengthen the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, as outlined in the ‘Vision 2035’ roadmap.

This is the third meeting between the two leaders since Starmer became British PM in July 2024. The first two meetings were held at Chequers in Buckinghamshire in July this year and on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro last November.

This is also Starmer's first visit to India as UK prime minister.

Starmer arrived in Mumbai for his first two-day trip to India on Wednesday, 8 October.

PM Modi was joined by National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. On the UK side, Starmer was accompanied by Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, and Jason Stockwood, Minister of State for Investment, during the bilateral talks.

Global Fintech Fest

PM Modi and PM Starmer will also attend the sixth edition of theGlobal Fintech Fest(GFF) in Mumbai today. The event will bring together innovators, policymakers, regulators, investors, and industry experts from across the world.

This year’s theme, “Empowering Finance for a Better World– Powered by AI, Augmented Intelligence, Innovation, and Inclusion,” focuses on how technology and human insight can together build a more ethical and sustainable financial future.

On Wednesday, the first day of the Starmer-led UK team's two-day trip, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and the UK’s Trade Minister Peter Kyle held bilateral meetings to oversee the implementation of the trade deal, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said.