Modi’s visit puts global Britain to the test
As India surges ahead, Britain must define its global future and decide whether it wants to be a partner of consequence or a spectator of decline.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much anticipated visit this week to the UK to sign a historic Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is more than a diplomatic milestone. It is a moment of global significance. A timely opportunity for Britain to reassert itself, to define its post-Brexit identity, and to align with the most dynamic growth story of our time: India.
India’s decision to prioritise this relationship, in a crowded geopolitical landscape with many suitors, is a powerful endorsement of the UK’s relevance. But that spotlight also brings scrutiny. Can the UK match India’s intent? Can Britain step up and demonstrate it is a serious, forward-facing, trusted partner, or will it retreat once again behind rhetoric, nostalgia, and indecision?
The signing of the FTA should not be seen as a final destination, but the starting point of a new chapter. As Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal recently described it, this agreement is akin to a marriage – full of promise, but requiring continuous care, energy, and commitment. The UK must resist any temptation toward post-signature complacency.
A new framework for global Britain
Since Brexit, successive UK governments have struggled to articulate a clear, compelling vision for Britain’s role on the world stage. “Global Britain” remains more slogan than strategy. Modi’s visit, and the FTA it underlines, provides a rare opportunity to change that. It is a chance to forge a new, substantive partnership grounded in mutual ambition, global problem-solving, and future-facing sectors like AI, life sciences, green tech, and digital transformation.
India, the world’s fastest-growing large economy, offers Britain the opportunity to plug into global growth, not just as a market, but as a co-creator and innovation partner. As the recently launched Grant Thornton ‘India Meets Britain Tracker 2025’ highlights, Indian businesses are already investing heavily in the UK, with 1,197 companies generating a combined turnover of £72.14 billion and directly employing over 126,720 people.
These aren’t abstract figures. They reflect real companies, making real contributions to the UK economy, and holding the potential to do much more.
Companies at the cutting edge
Indian Tech, Media and Telecom (TMT) firms are leading the charge. Companies like Infosys, TCS, Mphasis, and HCL Technologies are at the forefront of AI, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure. They are investing not only capital, but capability – building innovation centres, hiring local talent, and helping the UK bridge its digital skills gap. These are precisely the kinds of firms Britain should be partnering with more strategically.
In life sciences, India’s story is equally compelling. The Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, has deepened its collaboration with Oxford University to roll out pioneering malaria vaccines across Africa. Meanwhile, companies such as Biocon, Cipla, Zydus, and Wockhardt are helping power the NHS with cost-effective treatments, biosimilars, and next-generation biologics.
India’s pharmaceutical sector is not just a supplier, it is an emerging leader in R&D, health-tech, and digital health. The country’s evolving regulatory ecosystem, world-class clinical infrastructure, and scale of talent offer a significant opportunity for British firms looking to expand their life sciences footprint.
In advanced manufacturing, automotive, and clean energy, Indian companies such as Tata and Essar are investing in UK-based supply chains, upskilling workers, and co-developing cutting-edge solutions, from electric vehicles to hydrogen fuel technologies.
In short: India is not only open for business – it is open to building the future.
Breaking the barriers
Yet while the headlines are promising, the fine print reveals friction. The Tracker also highlights persistent roadblocks: shifting tax regulations, complex visa regimes, increasing salary costs, and a lack of streamlined pathways for market entry. If the UK wants to unlock the full potential of this partnership, these issues must be addressed, not later, but now.
Similarly, the UK-India Young Professionals Scheme, which offers talented 18–30-year-olds the chance to live and work in either country for up to two years, remains seriously under-utilised from the UK end. This is a missed opportunity to nurture long-term ties and shared experiences between the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, and policymakers.
Another simple but symbolically powerful move would be to remove international students from net migration figures, especially those from India, who contribute billions to the UK’s higher education sector and return to their home country as strong ambassadors for Britain and it’s institutions.
The choice before Britain
Ultimately, this moment demands choices. The UK cannot be all things to all people. The world is shifting fast. And it is countries like India that are shaping the next global order. For Global Britain to mean anything, it must move from platitude to posture, and from posture to purposeful engagement.
Modi’s visit validates Britain’s importance, yes – but it also tests the Labour government’s resolve. This is not just about geopolitics or trade figures. It is about how Britain defines itself in the 21st century. Will it remain stuck in historic paradigms, or will it seize the chance to partner with a nation that represents the future?
In this contest for influence, relevance, and growth – will Britain step up, or be left behind? Or in the words of Sir Michael Arthur, former UK High Commissioner to India, “We have significant shared interests and can help each other to achieve them. But will the majority of my fellow countrymen yet realise, who, in this twenty-first century partnership, needs who the most?”
Manoj Ladwa is the chairman of India Global Forum, and founder of the UK India Future Forum.