Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his U.K. counterpart Keir Starmer on Thursday (October 9, 2025) gave a joint call for a “two-state solution” to end the Israel-Palestine conflict and expressed support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.
Mr. Modi also spoke with Mr. Trump over the phone on Thursday (October 9) evening and congratulated him on the Gaza peace initiative. “Spoke to my friend, President Trump and congratulated him on the success of the historic Gaza peace plan. Also reviewed the good progress achieved in trade negotiations. Agreed to stay in close touch over the coming weeks,” he posted on X.
Mr. Modi, who welcomed Mr. Starmer to India, said the partnership between India and the U.K. serves as an “important pillar of global stability” in the current turbulent international scenario. The two leaders also called for “a just and lasting peace” in war-ravaged Ukraine.
“India and the U.K. are natural partners. In the current era of global instability, this partnership remains a vital pillar of global stability and economic progress,” said Mr. Modi, adding that the government is working to combine the U.K.’s industrial expertise and R&D with India’s talent and scale.
Mr. Modi highlighted the importance of “dialogue and diplomacy” in resolving the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, and said India and U.K. are “committed” to enhance “maritime security cooperation” in the Indo-Pacific region.
Resolution of the enduring conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine featured in a joint statement issued at the end of official-level talks held in Mumbai. The two Prime Ministers supported “an immediate and lasting ceasefire, the release of the hostages and the delivery of humanitarian aid, and their shared commitment to a lasting and just peace as a step towards a Two-State solution, with a safe and secure Israel, alongside a viable Palestinian state.”
Mr. Starmer and Mr. Modi highlighted cooperation between the two sides within the context of the Commonwealth and agreed to work closely on “climate change, sustainable development, and youth engagement” for the 2.5 billion population of the Commonwealth member countries. The statement reiterated shared commitment to “global peace, prosperity and rules-based international order”. They also expressed support to continue the dialogue on Migration and Mobility Partnership.
In his remarks following the delegation-level talks, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri reiterated India’s commitment to talks on streamlining migration and said, “We don’t support illegal immigration.” Mr. Starmer expressed U.K.’s condemnation of the April 22 Pahalgam attack and Mr. Modi condemned the attack outside a synagogue that left two persons dead in Manchester during Yom Kippur last week.
The joint statement highlighted economic progress, defence co-production, and potential for technology partnerships between both countries and reiterated the advantages of the recently signed India-U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and initiatives launched, supporting innovators and entrepreneurs.
Mr. Modi called CETA “historic”, saying the agreement will reduce import costs, create new employment opportunities for youth, boost trade, and benefit both industries and consumers. “Mr. Starmer’s visit symbolises the new energy and broad vision in the India-U.K. partnership,” he said. Mr. Starmer termed CETA a “breakthrough” moment.
This was Mr. Starmer’s first visit to India after being appointed as the U.K. Prime Minister. Along with the delegation of over 100 entrepreneurs, cultural representatives, and university Vice-Chancellors, he was on a two-day visit to India to discuss global and regional issues as well as the CETA.
The countries also signed the Terms of Reference to reposition the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO). Union Minister Piyush Goyal said on X, “This institutional reset is a game-changer, strengthening our framework for strategic engagement, driving the implementation of the India-U.K. CETA, and boosting our joint ambition to significantly enhance our bilateral trade.”
India launched several initiatives in collaboration with the U.K., one being the India-U.K. Technology Security Initiative. “Under this initiative, we have created a platform for joint research and innovation in critical technologies and use it as a bridge between the young generations of both countries,” Mr. Modi said.
The other initiatives include the Connectivity and Innovation Centre, the Joint AI Research Centre, the Industry Guild and the Supply Chain Observatory to collaborate on critical minerals, with a satellite campus at ISM Dhanbad, the formation of the India-U.K. Offshore Wind Taskforce, and the Climate Technology Startup Fund, supporting innovators and entrepreneurs from both countries working in climate, technology, and AI.
Published – October 09, 2025 10:55 pm IST
