Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer, on Thursday, during a joint press conference, committed to deepening India-UK partnership and trade ties, announcing major collaborations in the areas of trade, education, defence and critical minerals. The two leaders highlighted the recently concluded historic UK-India trade deal and termed it a “breakthrough moment”. The two leaders said the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) will provide a big boost for jobs and help achieve global stability and security.

PM Modi said under Starmer's leadership, there has been remarkable progress in the relations between India and the UK. Highlighting the historic CETA, the PM said India and the UK are natural partners, whose relationship is a shared belief in values such as democracy, freedom, and the rule of law.

"In the current era of global instability, this growing partnership between India and the UK is becoming a crucial foundation for global stability and economic progress. We shared views on peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and West Asia, as well as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. On the Ukraine conflict and the Gaza issue, India supports all efforts to restore peace through dialogue and diplomacy. We are fully committed to enhancing maritime security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said India and the UK have decided to establish an Industry Guild and Supply Chain Observatory for cooperation on critical minerals, and that its satellite campus will be at ISM Dhanbad. "The largest and most influential delegation from the education sector so far has come with Prime Minister Starmer. It is a matter of great joy that now nine universities from the UK are going to open campuses in India."

The PM said India and the UK have also reached an agreement on cooperation in military training. "Under this, flying instructors of the Indian Air Force will work as trainers in the UK's Royal Air Force. The dynamism of India and the expertise of the UK together create a unique synergy."

In a joint statement with Modi, Starmer said, as his visit concludes today, he hoped that India and the UK will have secured major new investments, creating thousands of high-skilled jobs in the sectors of the future." Significantly, we are meeting in Mumbai as India's economic and financial capital, because India's growth story is remarkable. I want to congratulate the PM on his leadership, aiming to be the world's 3rd largest economy by 2028. Your vision of Viksit Bharat is to make it a completely developed country by 2047."

The UK PM said he's confident that he'll achieve PM Modi's dream of Viksit Bharat. "We want to be partners on that journey. My visit this week is about doubling down on the potential of our trade deal for the benefit of all of us. That's why I have brought a record 126 British businesses with me to India this week."

He said India and the UK are creating a new modern partnership focused on the future and seizing the opportunities, and we are doing it together. "That is why we struck the UK-India CETA in July, a breakthrough moment - years in the making, slashing tariffs, increasing access to each other's markets to drive growth and create jobs for our people and making life in both our nations."