(MENAFN) UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed that Britain will not be loosening visa requirements for Indian citizens seeking employment in the UK.

Speaking to reporters while en route to Mumbai, he emphasized that visas “played no part” in the trade agreement signed between the UK and India in July.

“The issue is not about visas,” Starmer told reporters. “It’s about business to business engagement and investment and jobs and prosperity coming into the United Kingdom.”

Starmer arrived in Mumbai on Wednesday for a two-day bilateral visit, heading a delegation of more than 100 business leaders, cultural figures, and university officials. The mission is focused on attracting investment to Britain and stimulating the country’s slowing economy.

The multibillion-dollar free trade agreement, concluded after years of negotiation, aims to make British products like gin, whisky, electronics, medical devices, cosmetics, chocolate, and luxury cars more affordable in India. The deal is also expected to boost India’s service sector, particularly IT and IT-enabled services, and includes a three-year exemption from social security contributions for Indian citizens on short-term UK visas.

When asked about the possibility of attracting Indian tech entrepreneurs, Starmer stated that the UK seeks to bring in “top talent” from around the world to support economic growth, while reiterating that no new visa pathways to India are planned.

UK-India trade reached $57.7 billion in 2024, according to reports, and India is simultaneously negotiating a similar deal with the US amid high tariffs on most of its exports there.

MENAFN08102025000045017281ID1110166370