Mumbai, Oct 9 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended a warm welcome to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Raj Bhavan during a significant meeting aimed at enhancing the strategic partnership between the two nations.

The Ministry of External Affairs shared images capturing Prime Minister Modi in discussion with Prime Minister Starmer.

"Together for stronger India-UK ties..." posted Randhir Jaiswal, the MEA spokesperson, on X.

Previously, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that his discussions with Starmer have further deepened the trade and economic collaboration for mutual prosperity between the two countries.

Starmer arrived in India for a two-day trip on Wednesday, leading the largest trade delegation from the UK to India to date.

“It was a pleasure to meet UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. We discussed ways to further enhance the India-UK trade and economic partnership for our mutual prosperity,” Goyal shared on the X social media platform.

Earlier, Goyal also met with Peter Kyle, the UK’s Secretary of State for Business and Trade, to advance the operationalisation of the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the goal of doubling bilateral trade by 2030.

“This meeting was a substantial step towards implementing the India-UK CETA, with both ministers agreeing to reposition the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) to oversee its implementation and outcomes,” as per a statement from the Commerce Ministry.

Both parties reiterated their commitment to ensuring a swift, coordinated, and results-driven execution of the Agreement, aimed at unlocking its full potential for businesses and consumers in both nations. The ministers reaffirmed their collective ambition to double bilateral trade by 2030, capitalising on the synergies between the two economies in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, digital trade, clean energy, and services.

Highlighting the transformative potential of CETA, they explored strategies to maximise its benefits through regulatory cooperation, tackling non-tariff barriers, and enhancing supply chain integration. The constructive meeting between Commerce Secretary and Director General set a positive tone for the Ministerial discussions, which laid a solid groundwork for a day filled with productive and forward-looking dialogues.