Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday met on the sidelines of a major international gathering in Johannesburg, reaffirming their joint commitment to rapidly advance the India–UK strategic partnership.
The bilateral meeting underscored the momentum built over the past year, marked by significant progress on trade and strategic cooperation.
Following the discussions, Prime Minister Modi expressed optimism about the future trajectory of the relationship, noting the immediate and positive impact of recent high-level engagements.
In a post on X, PM Modi wrote: “It was wonderful meeting Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Johannesburg. This year has brought new energy to the India–UK partnership, and we will keep driving it forward across many domains.”
The meeting holds particular significance as it comes after the formalisation of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the two nations, finalised earlier this year under the new UK government led by PM Starmer.
The trade pact, along with the ambitious India–UK Vision 2035 roadmap, has injected urgency into collaborations spanning defence, technology, climate, and mobility.
For the UK, which views India as a critical partner in its Indo-Pacific strategy, the engagement signals its commitment to sustaining the “new energy” established during the conclusion of the trade deal.
The two leaders are understood to have discussed mechanisms to expedite the implementation of key provisions in the agreement, particularly those relating to visa mobility for professionals and reducing non-tariff barriers, ensuring the partnership delivers tangible economic benefits swiftly. The dialogue is also expected to guide future joint initiatives within multilateral frameworks.
Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the meeting was highly productive, with both leaders agreeing to instruct their respective teams to maintain the current pace of cooperation to achieve the shared goals outlined in the Vision 2035 document.