London/ New Delhi, July 24 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a two-day crucial trip to the United Kingdom, today thanked the Indian diaspora in the United Kingdom for their warm welcome, calling their passion and dedication to India’s development “truly heartening.”
“Touched by the warm welcome from the Indian community in the UK. Their affection and passion towards India’s progress is truly heartening,” the Prime Minister posted on X, shortly after arriving in London — the first leg of his two-nation tour.
This marks PM Modi’s fourth visit to the United Kingdom since 2014. His two-day trip from July 23 underscores the growing momentum in the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, established in 2021.
Describing the visit as one aimed at “advancing the economic partnership between our nations,” PM Modi said the focus would be on fostering prosperity, accelerating growth, and generating employment. “A strong India-UK friendship is essential for global progress,” he noted.
During the visit, PM Modi is scheduled to meet his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, and King Charles III.
His discussions with PM Starmer are expected to culminate in the signing of a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the UK.
The long-awaited deal, three years in the making and finalised in May, is set to bolster bilateral trade by eliminating or reducing tariffs on a range of goods.
It is expected to significantly boost exports of Indian labour-intensive sectors such as leather, footwear, and garments, while also easing the entry of British goods like whisky and automobiles into the Indian market.
Officials on both sides believe the agreement could help double bilateral trade to $120 billion by 2030, creating new opportunities for businesses and workers alike
This trip also marks the third meeting between PM Modi and PM Starmer in the past year. The two leaders previously met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro and the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, in June.
The United Kingdom is currently the sixth-largest investor in India, with cumulative investments exceeding USD 36 billion.
Interestingly, India is also a significant source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the UK, contributing close to USD 20 billion over the years — underscoring the depth and reciprocity in economic engagement.
Defence cooperation between the two nations has also intensified, with regular joint exercises and strategic exchanges involving all three branches of the armed forces. These engagements reflect growing mutual trust and a shared vision for regional and global security.
One of the most important, probably the foundational aspects of India-UK relationship is the ‘living bridge’ that connects India in the UK, people of Indian origin in the UK nearly 1.8 million strong Indian diaspora, which has contributed to strengthening bonds of friendship between our two countries, but has also made extremely valuable contributions through UK economy.
Following his UK visit, PM Modi will travel to the Maldives for the second leg of his tour, at the invitation of President Mohamed Muizzu.
