NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on July 24 to review progress on the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), with a particular focus on trade, economy, technology, defence, security, education, and people-to-people exchanges. An official government announcement confirmed that PM Modi will also meet King Charles III during his visit, which is expected to formalize the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two nations.
Additionally, the government announced that Modi will visit the Maldives on July 26, where he will be the guest of honour for the country’s Independence Day celebrations. This will be his first visit since President Mohamed Muizzu took office in November 2023, marking a full recovery in relations following the controversial expulsion of Indian military personnel from the island nation. Modi’s visit will also be the first by any Indian Prime Minister during the Maldives’ Independence Day celebrations.
In 2017, former Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen had invited Pakistan’s then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the event. India and the Maldives began discussing Modi’s potential visit after TOI’s June 2 report, confirming plans for the Prime Minister to attend the Maldives’ Independence Day.
During his visit to the UK, Modi and Starmer are expected to formally sign the long-awaited India-UK FTA, which was finalized in May. This will mark Modi’s fourth visit to the UK. The FTA covers trade in goods and services and aims to be a balanced, equitable, and ambitious deal that will boost bilateral trade and open new avenues for employment.
“During the visit, PM Modi will hold extensive talks with PM Starmer covering the full range of India-UK bilateral relations. They will also discuss regional and global issues,” said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a statement.
In the case of the Maldives, Modi’s visit will be the first by a head of state or government under President Muizzu’s administration. The visit will coincide with the Maldives’ Independence Day celebrations, marking the “profound significance” of the occasion. The two leaders are expected to inaugurate several joint projects and sign new agreements in various sectors.
“PM Modi will be the guest of honour at the 60th anniversary of Maldives’ Independence. The two leaders will also review progress on the India-Maldives Joint Vision for a ‘Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership,’ which was adopted during the State Visit of the President of Maldives to India in October 2024,” the government statement added.
“The visit underscores India’s commitment to its maritime neighbour, the Maldives, which remains a key partner in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and Vision Mahasagar. This visit will provide an opportunity to further deepen and strengthen bilateral ties,” it concluded.
