British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has ruled out easing visa restrictions for Indian workers and students, even as he seeks to strengthen economic and cultural ties during a high-profile visit to India, according to BBC News.
Starmer, leading the UK’s largest-ever trade mission to the country, arrived with more than 100 business leaders, cultural figures, and university vice-chancellors. His two-day trip comes in the wake of July’s long-awaited UK-India trade deal, which promises cheaper exports for British cars and whisky while opening UK markets further to Indian textiles and jewelry.
The prime minister emphasized that the agreement was designed to “provide opportunities” for Indian businesses rather than expand immigration. “Visas played no part in this deal,” he told reporters en route to Mumbai. “That situation has not changed.”
The trade deal does grant Indian employees on short-term UK visas a three-year exemption from social security contributions, but ministers insist broader immigration rules remain untouched. Starmer also dismissed speculation that London might adjust policy in response to U.S. visa changes under former President Donald Trump, stressing that while Britain seeks “top talent from across the globe,” no new visa routes for India are planned.
The trip has already yielded cultural and commercial announcements. Yash Raj Films, India’s largest film studio, will produce three movies in the UK from 2026, ending an eight-year hiatus and creating 3,000 jobs. British Airways confirmed it will add a third daily flight between Delhi and Heathrow, while Manchester Airport revealed a new direct route to Delhi.
Starmer is expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with whom he is likely to raise the case of Jagtar Singh Johal, a British Sikh imprisoned in India for seven years without conviction. He also noted that the UK remains a leading voice in countering Russia’s “shadow fleet” of unregulated oil tankers but sidestepped criticism of India’s Russian energy purchases.
At a press briefing, Starmer quipped: “For the record, I haven’t sent birthday congratulations to Vladimir Putin, nor am I going to do so.”
