India, UK Ink Free Trade Agreement After Years Of Talks; Modi, Starmer Hail ‘Historic Milestone

India and the UK on Tuesday signed the long-anticipated Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the Double Contribution Conference, marking what each nations have described as a “historic milestone” of their bilateral relations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a put up on social media platform X, hailed the settlement, stating it might “additional deepen our complete strategic partnership and catalyse commerce, funding, development, job creation, and innovation in each our economies.”

“Delighted to talk with my pal PM @Keir_Starmer. In a historic milestone, India and the UK have efficiently concluded an formidable and mutually useful Free Trade Agreement, together with a Double Contribution Conference. These landmark agreements will additional deepen our Complete Strategic Partnership, and catalyse commerce, funding, development, job creation, and innovation in each our economies. I stay up for welcoming PM Starmer to India quickly,” PM Modi acknowledged after a telephonic dialog together with his British counterpart.

Delighted to talk with my pal PM @Keir_Starmer. In a historic milestone, India and the UK have efficiently concluded an formidable and mutually useful Free Trade Agreement, together with a Double Contribution Conference. These landmark agreements will additional deepen our…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 6, 2025

A readout from the Prime Minister’s Workplace (PMO) mentioned that each leaders termed the FTA as a historic improvement that will improve commerce, funding, innovation, and employment alternatives throughout each economies. They expressed optimism that the deal between the “two large and open market economies” would unlock new enterprise prospects, bolster financial connectivity, and deepen people-to-people ties.

In response to the readout, Prime Minister Starmer mentioned, “Strengthening alliances and lowering commerce obstacles with economies world wide” types a part of the UK’s “Plan for Change” to construct a stronger and safer economic system.

UK PM Starmer remarked, “As we speak Britain has agreed a landmark commerce take care of India. Improbable information for British enterprise, British staff, and British consumers, delivering on our Plan for Change. Good to talk to Prime Minister @NarendraModi as we mark this historic second.”

As we speak Britain has agreed a landmark commerce take care of India.

Improbable information for British enterprise, British staff, and British consumers, delivering on our Plan for Change.

Good to talk to Prime Minister @NarendraModi as we mark this historic second. pic.twitter.com/mr0wfatBcH

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) May 6, 2025

The breakthrough adopted two successive visits by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to the UK final week, throughout which he held discussions with British Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds to conclude the negotiations.

Efforts to ascertain a free commerce settlement between the 2 nations date again to the tenure of former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

British Excessive Fee Says UK-India FTA A ‘Big Financial Win’

In an announcement launched by the British Excessive Fee in India, it was famous that Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Starmer “started by celebrating the landmark UK-India Free Trade Agreement introduced right now – a deal which can add billions to the UK economic system, increase wages and ship on this authorities’s Plan for Change”. In response to information company ANI, the assertion described the deal as a “large financial win for the UK, delivering for working folks and British companies”.

The British Excessive Fee added, “By pragmatism and goal, the leaders famous that this historic deal is the most important the UK has executed since leaving the EU, and essentially the most formidable India has ever executed.” Prime Minister Modi additionally thanked PM Starmer for his “decisive management in getting the deal over the road”.

Addressing the latest terror assault in Jammu and Kashmir, the British Excessive Fee mentioned, “The Prime Minister (Starmer) reiterated his deep condolences on the tragic and mindless lack of life.”

Concluding their dialog, PM Modi prolonged an invite to Keir Starmer to go to India, which the latter “was happy to simply accept” and mentioned he appeared ahead to visiting India on the earliest alternative the British Excessive Fee acknowledged.