MUMBAI: India and the UK have signed a £350 million ($468m) deal under which the Indian Army will receive UK-manufactured lightweight missiles, as part of a deepening weapons and defence partnership between the two countries, Britain announced on Thursday.
The deal, announced during Keir Starmer’s two-day visit to Mumbai, will see UK-manufactured lightweight multirole missiles produced by Thales in Northern Ireland delivered to Indian forces, safeguarding 700 jobs at a facility currently supplying similar weaponry to Ukraine.
Accompanying the missile contract was a new milestone on a deal for electric-powered engines for Indian naval ships, signing the next phase of a deal worth an initial £250m, the announcement added.
“The deal paves the way for a broader complex weapons partnership between the UK and India, currently under negotiation between the two governments,” a joint-statement by the two countries said.
Taliban foreign minister arrives in India to discuss a range of political, economic and trade matters
Progress on trade deal
Mr Starmer, accompanied by more than 100 leaders from Britain’s business, culture and university sectors, to build on a trade agreement signed in July, met with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi in India’s financial capital.
As London unveiled new Indian investments set to serve as a “launch pad” for closer ties, both leaders celebrated their new trade agreement as a catalyst for transforming commercial connections.
“This relationship matters more than ever,” Starmer told reporters at a press conference before he flew home. “We’re opening up new opportunities in India for British businesses, opportunities that other countries simply do not have. It has given us a unique edge.”
The new trade deal envisages cuts in tariffs on goods from textiles to whisky and cars, and allows more market access for businesses in the world’s fifth- and sixth-largest economies, aiming to boost trade by a further 25.5 billion pounds ($34bn) by 2040.
Modi told a business forum he was confident the two countries would double their trade from the current $56 billion ahead of their 2030 target. He said the visit “reflects the new energy and broad vision” in the partnership.
“India’s dynamism and the UK’s expertise together create a unique synergy,” Mr Modi said.
Starmer’s office, without elaborating much, said 64 Indian companies would collectively invest £1.3bn ($1.75bn) in Britain.
Afghan foreign minister in India
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s UN-sanctioned Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi arrived in India on Thursday for talks aiming to foster economic ties with New Delhi in the first such visit by a leader of the group since it seized power in 2021.
The six-day trip by the Afghan minister highlights the Taliban’s efforts to spur engagement with regional powers to secure eventual diplomatic recognition. He is set to meet Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and other officials to discuss a range of political, economic and trade matters.
“We look forward to engaging discussions with him on bilateral relations and regional issues,” foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X welcoming the minister.
Mr Muttaqi is also expected to speak with Indian business representatives, visit the Taj Mahal, and a historic Islamic seminary.
Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2025