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EYE ON INDIA OCTOBER 17, 2025 | The Indian Eye 6

India and UK Seal a Strategic Renaissance

From Trade to Tech, the Partnership Enters a New Era

As British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to India concludes, New Delhi and London

have not only reaffirmed their historic ties but also elevated their cooperation to a new strategic

level — spanning defence, education, innovation, and global governance

OUR BUREAU sity students by 2035.
Technology emerged as the sec-
Mumbai / New Delhi
ond major pillar of the visit. Both
ndia and the United Kingdom nations launched the India-UK Con-
are charting a new course in nectivity and Innovation Centre and
Itheir bilateral relationship — the India-UK Joint Centre for Artifi-
one that blends strategic pragma- cial Intelligence, alongside a Critical
tism with shared democratic values. Minerals Industry Guild to strength-
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and en supply chain resilience in green
his British counterpart Keir Starmer, technologies.
meeting in Mumbai and New Delhi These initiatives fall under the
this week, unveiled a sweeping agen- Technology Security Initiative (TSI)
da that positions both nations as key — an umbrella framework for co-
partners in trade, technology, de- operation on AI, cybersecurity, and
fence, and global diplomacy. emerging technologies, ensuring that
At the heart of this renewed innovation aligns with democratic
engagement lies a shared under- values and strategic autonomy.
standing: in an increasingly fractured In a clear diplomatic break-
world order, like-minded democra- through, Prime Minister Keir Starmer
cies must collaborate more closely to voiced strong support for India’s per-
ensure economic stability, technolog- manent membership in a reformed
ical resilience, and global security. United Nations Security Council
A major highlight of Starmer’s (UNSC). “We want to see India tak-
visit was the £350 million defence ing its rightful place in the UN Secu-
deal between India and the UK, a rity Council,” Starmer said, adding
landmark agreement that will supply that both nations will work together
India’s armed forces with UK-manu- for “reformed multilateralism and
factured Lightweight Multirole Mis- a rules-based international order.”
siles (LMMs) built in Belfast. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrive at The joint statement reaffirmed
deal secures over 700 jobs in North- commitments to counter terrorism
ern Ireland and signals a deepening Global Fintech Fest 2025 at Jio World Centre, in Mumbai on Thursday. (DPR PMO/ANI Photo) and violent extremism, with Modi
of defence industrial ties, with both raising concerns over Khalistani
countries now exploring a broader Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri sity in Gurgaon and multiple univer- radicalism and stressing that dem-
“complex weapons partnership.” noted that the FTA is more than a sities in Gujarat’s GIFT City, Mum- ocratic freedoms should not be
UK Defence Secretary John trade deal — it’s an economic bridge. bai, and Bengaluru. abused by extremist elements. The
Healey described the pact as “a “The visit has provided both sides an This unprecedented educational leaders also condemned recent
blueprint for a deeper relationship opportunity to deepen strategic eco- expansion is set to generate a £50 mil- terror attacks in Manchester and
between our defence industries.” nomic engagement and derive full lion boost to the UK economy while of- Pahalgam, pledging “zero toler-
Alongside the missile agreement, benefits from tariff reduction under fering Indian students access to British ance for terrorism in all forms.”
both nations also inked a £250 million the FTA,” he said. degrees at home. UK Prime Minister This alignment on global issues
collaboration on electric-powered na- The reconstituted India-UK Keir Starmer hailed it as “a transfor- — from counter-terrorism to mul-
val engines, marking a shift towards CEOs Forum met in Mumbai, where mative step” that strengthens academic tilateral reform — reflects a deeper
sustainable maritime technology. business leaders mapped future co- collaboration and cultural connection. synergy in worldviews between New
Together, these steps signify a operation in fintech, green energy, “Our great British universities Delhi and London.
maturing partnership — one that ex- and digital innovation. The presence are admired all over the world for From defence manufacturing to
tends beyond transactional defence of a 125-member British business their excellence and innovation,” dual-degree campuses, from clean
trade to long-term co-development delegation — the largest ever to In- Starmer said. “More Indian students tech to UNSC reform, the Mo-
and innovation. dia — underscored the commercial will now benefit from that world- di-Starmer engagement marks one of
The long-awaited India-UK Free confidence in this partnership. class education without having to the most comprehensive expansions of
Trade Agreement (FTA), signed in In what Misri called a “silent leave home.” India-UK ties in decades. In essence,
July, now moves toward ratification revolution,” nine leading British uni- This initiative also positions the the India-UK relationship has evolved
in both countries. Both leaders reaf- versities have received approvals to UK as the country with the largest from historical familiarity to strategic
firmed their commitment to maximiz- open campuses in India under the higher education footprint in India, necessity — a 21st-century partner-
ing the benefits of tariff reductions National Education Policy (NEP). aligning with India’s ambitious goal ship grounded in innovation, resil-
and enhancing investment flows. These include Southampton Univer- of accommodating 70 million univer- ience, and shared global responsibility.

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