Keir Starmer meets Narendra Modi on his first go to to India

Sir Keir Starmer has met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his first go to to the nation.

The two leaders met in India’s monetary capital Mumbai, the place the prime minister is on a two-day commerce mission with the biggest ever delegation of greater than 100 CEOs, entrepreneurs, college vice-chancellors and cultural leaders.

Modi has referred to as the go to “historic”, with the 2 sides assembly to debate methods to increase enterprise and commerce ties after India and the UK signed landmark commerce deal in July.

Among the opposite points mentioned by the 2 prime ministers was the battle in Ukraine.

India continues to purchase Russian fossil fuels, which helps to fund Vladimir Putin’s battle effort.

Sir Keir stated: “The prime minister and I also discussed the need for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, the need for stability and security in the Indo-Pacific, and the need to co-operate in critical areas like climate and energy, including breaking away from dependence on fossil fuels.”

Modi has described himself as a pal of Putin, however advised he needed to see the Ukraine battle come to an finish by way of “dialogue and diplomacy”.

Sir Keir additionally advised he needed India, as a “global player”, to take “its rightful place” on the UN Security Council, a long-held aim of the nation.

The household of a British citizen, Jagtar Singh Johal – who has been held in an Indian prison for seven years without a conviction – have continued to name for Sir Keir to take “decisive steps” to safe the 38-year-old’s launch in his talks with Modi.

Ahead of the assembly, Sir Keir insisted the federal government is elevating the detainee’s case at “every level”.

Arriving in India, the prime minister was given a rousing welcome, with 1000’s of images of him and Modi lining the streets in Mumbai.

On Thursday Sir Keir introduced extra UK universities can be opening campuses in India, which the federal government stated would convey a £50m enhance to the financial system.

Confirming that the University of Lancaster and the University of Surrey had been given approval for brand spanking new campuses, he stated: “I’m delighted that more Indian students will be able to benefit from a world-class British education in the near future – strengthening the ties between our two countries while pumping millions back into our economy and supporting jobs at home.”

The UK has a rising community of worldwide campuses in India, with the University of York, University of Aberdeen and Queen’s University Belfast amongst these anticipated to open campuses from as early as subsequent yr.

On his first day, Sir Keir met the founding father of India’s digital ID system – Nandan Nilekani – within the wake of plans to introduce a digital ID for folks working within the UK.

The authorities’s plan to introduce obligatory digital ID for folks to show their proper to work within the UK has seen greater than 2.8 million folks signing a petition towards the thought. But Downing Street is set to press on, claiming it would curb the power of migrants to work illegally.

The authorities says the yet-to-be-implemented UK-India commerce deal has already led to £1bn of funding and nearly 7,000 jobs being created within the UK.

Under the commerce deal, India’s common tariff on UK merchandise will drop from 15% to three%.

The UK will minimize taxes on Indian clothes, footwear, jewelry and frozen seafood, amongst different items, whereas India will scale back duties on the import of Scotch whisky, cosmetics, medical gadgets and luxurious vehicles.

The deal is touted to extend the UK’s gross home product (GDP) by £4.8bn every year and enhance commerce between the 2 nations by a further £25.5bn a yr by 2040.

Last yr, commerce between the UK and India totalled £42.6bn, and was already scheduled to develop.

Before arriving in India, Sir Keir advised reporters that the UK wouldn’t calm down visa guidelines for India however added that there have been “massive opportunities” to enhance commerce and cultural ties with India.

Sir Keir’s go to comes towards a backdrop of strained ties between Delhi and Washington over President Donald Trump’s determination to impose 50% tariffs on India, which features a 25% penalty for purchasing Russian oil.

India and the US have been negotiating a commerce deal for months however haven’t made a serious breakthrough but.