Providing more visas ‘not part of the plan’, says Starmer as he arrives in Mumbai for India visit
The Prime Minister has travelled to Mumbai with 125 business chiefs, cultural leaders and university bosses
Sir Keir Starmer has embarked on the largest-ever British trade mission to India, where he is promoting the recently signed deal with the country as a “launchpad for growth”.
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The Prime Minister has been joined by 125 chief executives, university leaders and representatives from British cultural institutions during the trip to Mumbai.
The UK-India trade deal, signed by the PM and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in July at Chequers, has reduced tariffs on British businesses from 15 per cent to 3 per cent on average.
During his visit to the south Asian country, Sir Keir wants to promote the business opportunities opened up to British brands as a result of the agreement.
Sir Keir signalled that he will resist calls from business leaders to provide more UK visas for Indian workers.
Read more: Starmer urged to use India trip to call for release of Briton Jagtar Singh Johal
India reportedly pushed for far more visa access to the UK when the two countries were finalising their trade deal earlier this year.
The Prime Minister told reporters on the way to Mumbai: “No, that isn’t part of the plan. We’re here now to take advantage of the free trade agreement that we’ve already struck. We’ve got to implement it.
“Obviously, I wanted that done at speed. I’ve already sent instructions into the system that I want that done as quickly as possible, but already it’s having an impact, because these businesses want to take advantage of the mood music that’s changed because of the free trade agreement.”
Sir Keir said: “We signed a major trade deal with India in July – the best secured by any country – but the story doesn’t stop there.
“It’s not just a piece of paper, it’s a launchpad for growth. 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.”
Business chiefs joining Sir Keir include representatives from Rolls-Royce, British Telecom, Diageo, London Stock Exchange and British Airways.
The Prime Minister said: “That’s why I’ll be flying the flag for British business alongside 125 of our biggest household names in Mumbai this week – because growth in India for them means more choice, opportunity and jobs at home for the British people.”
As Sir Keir left the UK, he was also asked by journalists travelling with him about Mr Modi’s close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
India continues to buy oil from Moscow, despite western nations’ efforts to boycott Russia’s war machine.
Mr Modi also wished the Russian leader happy birthday in a post on social media on Tuesday.
Sir Keir told journalists: “Just for the record, I haven’t… sent birthday congratulations to Putin, nor am I going to do so.
“I don’t suppose that comes as a surprise, in relation to energy, and clamping down on Russian energy. Our focus as the UK, and we’ve been leading on this, is on the shadow fleet, because we think that’s the most effective way.
“We’ve been one of the lead countries in relation to the shadow fleet, working with other countries.”
The UK-India trade deal is expected to be worth £4.8 billion each year to the UK’s economy, and could add £2.2 billion collectively to wages.
Among those set to benefit most from the deal are Scottish whisky producers, who will see tariffs drop from 150 per cent to 75 per cent, and then even further to 40 per cent over the next 10 years.
New air links between the UK and India have been announced ahead of the trip.
British Airways has revealed it will run a third daily flight between Delhi and Heathrow from 2026.
Elsewhere, Manchester Airport will launch a direct route to Delhi operated by IndiGo, adding to its existing Mumbai service.
The new service will make Manchester the only UK airport outside London with connections to both cities.
The expansion is estimated to be worth £50 million in annual exports, £25 million in tourism income, and could create 450 jobs in Britain.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle, who is travelling to India with the delegation, said: “We’ve shown there is no limit on our ambition to grow trade with India – in less than a year we’ve gone from restarting talks on a deal to bringing 125 brilliant business leaders to its commercial capital.
“Our deal is the best any country has ever secured with India and places British businesses at the front of the queue to access a huge and ever-growing market.
“Now we are hitting the ground running and using every means necessary to ready businesses to take full advantage of the massive wins we’ve secured once the deal comes into force so we can deliver growth, jobs, and prosperity at home.”
Among those in the delegation are 14 university vice-chancellors and representatives, who will promote UK universities amid the growing demand for higher education in India.
Cultural institutions including the British Film Institute and the National Theatre will also attend, with the aim of opening the door for new UK-India media and cultural exchanges.
The Prime Minister is also facing calls to raise the case of a British national detained abroad with his Indian counterpart Mr Modi during the visit.
Jagtar Singh Johal, 38, a Sikh activist from Dumbarton near Glasgow, has been detained by the Indian authorities since November 2017.
The British Sikh has claimed to be subject to torture, and his imprisonment was recognised by a UN panel as arbitrary detention in 2022.
He was acquitted earlier this year in a case in which he was accused of financially supporting a terror group, but he still faces federal charges from the Indian authorities.
The PM should press for Mr Johal’s release in the wake of a series of similar high-profile cases, his older brother said.
Gurpreet Singh Johal said: “I think the Prime Minister is the best-placed person to strongly advocate for Jagtar’s release given, in eight years, no evidence has been produced.”
He added: “Keir Starmer should be saying enough is enough, and bringing Jagtar back home.”
The PM last raised Mr Johal’s case with his Indian counterpart when Mr Modi visited the UK in July.
Dan Dolan, deputy director of legal action campaign group Reprieve, which is supporting Mr Johal’s family, said “diplomacy at the very highest level” could make a difference to his case.