London
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s upcoming visit to India is expected to drive significant progress in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies, UK Minister for AI and Online Safety Kanishka Narayan said on Tuesday. Speaking ahead of Starmer’s first official India tour on October 8-9, Narayan highlighted the “exceptional foundation” already established for India-UK collaboration in technology, research, and innovation.
During the two-day visit, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both leaders will deliver keynote addresses at the sixth Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai and engage with industry experts, policymakers, and innovators. Narayan emphasized that the partnership aims to channel shared expertise into applied AI research, online safety initiatives, and the adoption of AI products in business and public services, while upholding democratic values.
Starmer will be accompanied by a delegation of over 100 CEOs, university leaders, and cultural heads to strengthen trade, technology, and investment ties. Key topics include the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the bilateral Technology Security Initiative (TSI). UK officials noted that both leaders will meet business leaders to “turbocharge” bilateral trade and investment.
Trade between the UK and India reached £44.1 billion in goods and services for the year ending March 2025, a 10.1% increase over the previous year. The CETA deal, set for UK parliamentary ratification next year, is expected to remove tariffs on over 90% of UK goods and aims to double bilateral trade by 2030.
The Bihar-born Labour MP, who made history when he was elected as the first Indian-origin member of Parliament from Wales in last year’s general election, is excited about the technology sector being one of the key focus areas of the bilateral partnership and the immense potential of tie-ups that lie in store.
