NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to the United Kingdom and the Maldives from July 23 to 26 in a high-stakes diplomatic tour focused on advancing bilateral ties and formalising a major free trade agreement (FTA) with Britain.
“During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will hold wide-ranging discussions with Prime Minister Starmer on the entire gamut of India-UK bilateral relations. They will also exchange views on issues of regional and global importance,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
The centrepiece of the visit on July 23 and 24 is expected to be the formal signing of the India-UK FTA, finalised in May and currently undergoing legal scrubbing by both sides.
The landmark deal aims to double bilateral trade, which is currently valued at $60 billion by 2030. It is expected to boost Indian exports of textiles, leather and engineering goods, while slashing tariffs on British whisky, automobiles, and medical devices.
Labour-intensive Indian sectors such as textiles, leather, footwear, and processed foods are poised to gain a competitive edge. A key feature of the FTA is an exemption from social security contributions in the UK for Indian workers for three years, under the Double Contribution Convention.
During the UK visit, PM Modi and Starmer are also expected to review progress under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), focusing on trade, technology, defence, climate cooperation, education, and people-to-people ties.
PM Modi will then travel to the Maldives on a state visit from July 25 to 26, at the invitation of Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu. The Indian Prime Minister will be the Guest of Honour at the Maldives’ 60th Independence Day celebrations on July 26, a symbolic gesture signalling a reset in ties after period of strains that ebbed away gradually.
“This will be the PM's third visit to Maldives, and the first visit by a Head of State or Government to Maldives during Muizzu's Presidency,” the MEA said.
The two leaders will assess the implementation of the India-Maldives Joint Vision for a ‘Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership’, adopted during President Muizzu’s visit to India in October 2024.