On his first official visit to India, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is leading a delegation of upto 200 people including experts from different fields, organisations and media to attend the 6th edition of the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai on 8-9 October, a source exclusively told Asian Voice.
PM Starmer who is now reaching a day ahead of his previously designated travel date, will deliver a keynote address in Mumbai, along with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This visit comes within three months of the signing of the UK-India FTA between the two countries in July 2025, during PM Modi’s fleeting visit to Britain. This is one of the largest delegations accompanying a UK Prime Minister to India in the last 9 years, since Conservative PM Theresa May’s visit to India in November 2016.
Accompanying the Prime Minister are members of the Cabinet, representatives from sectors such as Fintech, Education, Culture, Media, Businesses, as well as organisations such as CBI, International Chamber of Commerce to name a few. While the Indian High Commissioner to the UK His Excellency Vikram Doraiswami left ahead for India to prepare for PM Starmer’s arrival, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha (in Indian Parliament), Harivansh Narayan Singh, along with other Presiding Officials of State Legislative Assemblies and Members of Parliament stopped by in London, on their way to the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Barbados, to greet and meet some of the delegates accompanying PM Starmer on his maiden visit to India. A dinner reception was held at India House in London to mark this occasion, which was hosted by Acting High Commissioner Kartik Pande. The Indian delegates also had some bilateral meetings during their visit to the UK.
The reception on Monday 6 October at Gandhi hall, in the Indian High Commission was joined by community members as well as Lord Jitesh Gadhia, Lord Karan Bilimoria, Lord Krish Raval, Valerie Vaz MP, former MP Virendra Sharma and some local councillors.
Lord Bilimoria and Lord Gadhia are accompanying PM Starmer to India as part of the high level delegation.
According to a press note by the Ministry of External Affairs in India, on October 9 in Mumbai, the two Prime Ministers will take stock of progress in diverse aspects of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in line with ‘Vision 2035’, a focussed and time bound 10-year Roadmap of programmes and initiatives in key pillars of trade and investment, technology and innovation, defence and security, climate and energy, health, education and people to people relations. Both leaders will engage with businesses and industry leaders on opportunities presented by the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as a central pillar of the future India–UK economic partnership. They will also exchange views on issues of regional and global importance.
‘Immigration has always been great for Great Britain’
Speaking to Asian Voice exclusively, Lord Bilimoria stated the importance of PM Starmer’s visit to India. As the anti-immigrant rhetoric grows strong in the UK, the diaspora and their families back in India, fear for the future of the British Indian community. Many are even questioning Sir Starmer’s leadership and Labour party’s vision, as the unrest grows.
Lord Bilimoria told us, “It is nine years since we've had such a huge Prime Minister led delegation to India. The last one was Theresa May in November 2016. PM Starmer is taking a large business delegation, ministers, the press, university leaders, and from a cross section of manufacturing, of services, of business organisations, the International Chamber of Commerce, which I Chair, the CBI, which I was President of, we're all going to be there.”
Emphasising on the significance of this visit, he added, “And this is very important, particularly given that it's within three months of the signing of the free trade agreement. So it's the opportunity now for Britain to say to India, we mean business, and to grow trade, business and investment between our two countries. The bilateral trade is 42 billion pounds, but it should be double of that in five years, because India is only the 12 largest trading part of the UK. It should be one of the top five.”
Speaking about the issues of immigrant bashing that have been unnerving the diaspora recently, Lord Bilimoria said, “The problem at the moment is that the whole of the UK is very worried about the illegal immigration that's taking place, particularly on the boat, which is very sad and tragic, and that needs to be stopped. But when it comes to the legal immigration under the Points Based System (PBS) on which India is the number one, when it comes to international students, India is also number one. We want the best and brightest students from the world, including from India. We want the best and brightest people at work. We're supporting our economy, and India plays a major role including in the NHS. Without the Indian doctors and Indian nurses, the NHS would not function so efficiently. Immigration has always been great for Great Britain.”
He further added, “What is sad about the situation is there should not be a fear of immigration. There should be a strong legal immigration. There should always be an appreciation of the good immigration.
“There are 15% ethnic minority in this country, 2 million Indians, of which I'm proud to be one - it is the most successful ethnic minority community and the largest ethnic minority community in the UK. And what a contribution the Indian community makes in the UK in every field - whether it's in education, medicine, politics, business, or every field that you can think of! The Indians have reached the very top and are making a huge contribution to the UK.”
Vodafone financial dispute and TSI
During this historical visit of PM Starmer, India’s long-standing dispute of $22.6bn, with the local subsidiary of British telecoms multinational Vodafone Group may “finally come to an end”, through a one-time settlement, according to a report by Bloomberg.
At the same time, PM Starmer and PM Modi will also join senior ministers and officials to advance the 2024 UK-India Technology Security Initiatives (TSI), according to a report by the Politico.
This will include co-operation on telecoms, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, quantum, bio-tech, advanced materials and semiconductors.
During PM Modi’s visit to Britain in July 2025, the UK government said the TSI partnership would lead to the creation of a joint centre on AI. The TSI is looked after by each country’s national security advisers and is reviewed every six months.
Collaboration on graphene and critical minerals is also reportedly on the cards as the second phase of the UK-India Critical Minerals Supply Chain Observatory is about to begin.
Britain and India will also reportedly hold a joint economic trade council meeting to leverage the deal that UK and India struck in July, during this visit.
