Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held talks on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian on Tuesday, focusing on expanding economic and strategic cooperation between India and the United Kingdom. The meeting highlighted both countries’ commitment to strengthening their partnership and accelerating collaboration across several key sectors.
The leaders reviewed the progress made in bilateral relations since their reciprocal visits last year, which helped inject fresh momentum into the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Leaders Assess Progress Under Vision 2035
During the meeting, Modi and Starmer reviewed developments under the Vision 2035 framework, a long-term roadmap designed to deepen cooperation between New Delhi and London.
Had a wonderful meeting with PM Keir Starmer in Evian. The last year has been outstanding as far as India-UK relations are concerned. The trade deal has opened many avenues of economic cooperation. Today’s talks focused on how to add even more momentum to India-UK ties.… pic.twitter.com/dAazvLxBiX
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 16, 2026
The discussions covered a wide range of areas, including economic development, defence and security collaboration, climate initiatives, clean energy projects, technology partnerships, education, and people-to-people connections.
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing cooperation and ensuring that the strategic partnership continues to deliver tangible benefits for both nations.
Trade Pact Emerges as Key Focus
A major part of the discussions centred on implementing the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a landmark trade deal expected to significantly strengthen economic ties between the two countries.
Modi and Starmer expressed confidence that the agreement would come into force soon and create fresh opportunities for businesses, investors and workers in both countries.
India and the United Kingdom have steadily increased trade and investment in recent years, with bilateral trade reaching record levels. Officials believe the trade agreement will further boost growth in sectors such as manufacturing, services, technology and green industries.
The leaders also emphasized the importance of ensuring the agreement translates into practical economic gains and stronger commercial partnerships.
Growing Cooperation in Higher Education
Education featured prominently in the talks as both countries continue to expand academic cooperation. The two leaders welcomed the increasing collaboration between Indian and British universities and highlighted recent developments involving leading UK institutions establishing campuses in India.
The University of Liverpool is moving ahead with plans for its campus in Bengaluru, while the University of York and the University of Bristol are progressing with proposals to open campuses in Mumbai.
These initiatives are expected to encourage greater student mobility, strengthen research partnerships and create new opportunities for academic exchanges between the two countries.
Technology and Innovation Take Centre Stage
Technology and innovation also remained high on the agenda. Prime Minister Modi thanked the UK government for its active participation in the AI Impact Summit hosted by India earlier this year in New Delhi. The summit brought together policymakers, industry leaders and researchers to discuss the opportunities and challenges created by rapidly evolving artificial intelligence technologies.
Both leaders acknowledged the growing importance of technological collaboration and agreed to continue working together in emerging sectors.
Focus on Technology Security and Critical Minerals
The meeting also included discussions on cooperation under the Technology Security Initiative. Modi and Starmer welcomed the progress achieved through the initiative and highlighted the recent launch of the India-UK Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory.
The project aims to improve the resilience of critical mineral supply chains, strengthen access to strategic resources and reduce vulnerabilities amid growing global uncertainties.
The leaders viewed the initiative as an important step toward enhancing long-term economic security and supporting future technological development.
Partnership Continues to Expand
The meeting underscored the growing depth of India-UK relations and reflected a shared determination to broaden cooperation across trade, education, technology, security and sustainable development.
With the implementation of the trade agreement moving forward and collaboration expanding in several strategic sectors, both countries signalled their intention to build a stronger and more comprehensive partnership in the years ahead.