Strong partnerships are more important than ever. The global economy is being buffeted by shocks on all sides and businesses are being forced to grapple with ever greater complexity and volatility. At times like this, it is hard to overstate the value of providing certainty, stability, and long-term opportunity with trusted trading partners.
These are the values embedded in the relationship between India and the UK. Less than a year ago, Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Keir Starmer set a new course for our relationship — the UK-India Vision 2035, which set the direction for the next 10 years.
This plan covers everything from growth and jobs to education, technology, climate, and defence. Throughout every aspect is woven the same clear message – we are both better for working together. I have the privilege of delivering part of that vision alongside my friend and counterpart, Minister Piyush Goyal. It is our responsibility to work closely, both with business and with each other, to help turbo-charge our trading relationship and unlock new opportunities — driving growth and creating jobs.
In many respects, our relationship is already delivering on this ambition. In 2025, trade between the UK and India was £48bn — almost double in current prices what it was in 2019. And I am confident that we will only see this trend continue when we bring the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA, into force.
Our deal is a genuine game changer. It will be the most expansive deal that India has ever brought in and the most economically significant deal the UK has done since leaving the European Union — and could increase India’s and the UK’s GDP by an estimated £5.1 billion and £4.8 billion respectively. This deal means real opportunities for real businesses. Some 99 per cent of UK and 90 per cent of Indian tariffs will be slashed, saving exporters and importers alike hundreds of millions of pounds.
New processes will make trade quicker, cheaper, and easier, including improving the use of digital contracts. Services companies will benefit from locked-in access and new business mobility commitments that will enable specialists from both nations to seamlessly deliver their expertise in everything from financial services, education and information technology to yoga. And in today’s world, growth will be driven not just by the movement of goods, but by ideas, data, and technology. This is where the UK-India partnership is especially powerful. Our countries are leaders in digital innovation and our businesses are already collaborating to solve problems that matter: Improving healthcare outcomes, strengthening financial inclusion, and accelerating the transition to net zero.
As a former technology minister, I have seen first-hand how innovation can transform businesses and economies alike. The next phase of UK-India cooperation will be defined by exactly this spirit: Harnessing emerging technologies to unlock new markets, support high-quality jobs, and build industries of the future. When I speak to businesses across the UK, I hear time and again how excited they are to strengthen their relationship with India — one of the fastest-growing major economies globally, a powerhouse of talent, technology and entrepreneurship.
And when I last visited India with Prime Minister Starmer, I heard from scores of businesses in Mumbai what they see in the UK — the number one country in Europe for attracting venture capital, the fastest cumulative economic growth amongst European G7 economies over 2026 and 2027, and the home to global hubs in finance, services, innovation, research, and international investment. So, as I visit India today, to further progress our trading relationship and prepare for the entry into force of the CETA, I am reminded of a simple but powerful truth: When the UK and India work together, we both benefit — and so does the wider global economy.
As I said to begin, in a world of volatility, certainty is a valuable currency. The UK-India relationship provides that certainty — anchored as two democracies, strengthened by economic complementarity, and driven by a common ambition for growth.
The writer is UK Business and Trade Secretary
