British PM Keir Starmer likely to visit India in October
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is “likely” to visit India around the October 7-9 Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai, high-level diplomatic sources confirmed to The Hindu on Monday (September 22, 2025). Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Starmer will hold summit-level talks during the visit, which comes a little more than two months after Mr. Modi visited the U.K. to attend the signing of the U.K.-India free trade agreement. The trade agreement is still working its way through the ratification process in the U.K. and is expected to come into effect only in 2026. The two sides are negotiating a bilateral investment treaty and announced a Technology Security Initiative in July last year.
Jaishankar, Rubio meet amid trade, visa tensions
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an apparent bid by both sides to repair relations ruptured by a number of U.S. actions, including the 50% tariffs on Indian goods and an increase in H-1B visa fees. Monday’s (September 22, 2025) talks at a New York hotel on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) came even as Indian and U.S. trade negotiators prepared for their next round of talks. Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal is also in the U.S. this week.
