Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a bilateral meeting on Tuesday on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains, France. The two leaders exchanged views on the conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine, while reviewing the growing momentum in India-UK relations and pushing for early implementation of the recently concluded trade pact.
Discussions on Global Conflicts
According to an official statement, Modi and Starmer discussed regional and global developments of mutual concern, including the deteriorating situation in West Asia and the continuing conflict in Ukraine. The talks took place amid heightened global tensions, and both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Review of Bilateral Ties
The leaders reviewed progress across all pillars of the Vision 2035 roadmap, covering trade and economic growth, defence and security, climate action, green energy, technology and innovation, and people-to-people ties. They expressed satisfaction over the strong momentum in bilateral relations since their reciprocal visits last year and looked forward to the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which is expected to significantly boost bilateral commerce.
Technology and Education Cooperation
Modi thanked Starmer for the strong British participation in the AI Impact Summit held in New Delhi earlier this year and welcomed progress under the India-UK Technology Security Initiative. The two sides also noted the recent launch of the India-UK Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory, aimed at strengthening cooperation in strategic technologies and ensuring resilient supply chains.
Welcoming the deepening educational partnership, the leaders took note of plans by the University of Liverpool to establish a campus in Bengaluru and proposals by the University of York and the University of Bristol to set up campuses in Mumbai.
The meeting reflected the increasing breadth of India-UK engagement, with both countries seeking to expand cooperation in trade, technology, clean energy, and strategic affairs amid an uncertain global environment.
