UK PM Keir Starmer in India, discusses key issues with Modi

Guwahati: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday lauded India’s economic progress, asserting that the country is on track to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2028.

Speaking alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Starmer’s remarks were widely seen as a subtle rebuttal to former US President Donald Trump’s recent comments dismissing India’s economic prospects.

Opening his speech with a greeting in Hindi, Starmer said, “Namaskar doston… I want to congratulate the PM on his leadership, aiming to be the world's third-largest economy by 2028. Your vision of Viksit Bharat is to make it a completely developed country by 2047.”

Highlighting India’s remarkable growth trajectory, Starmer, who is on his first visit to India, added, “Everything I have seen since I have been here is absolute proof to me that you are on track to succeed in that. We want to be partners on that journey.”

India recently surpassed Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy, and the UK delegation, comprising more than 100 CEOs, entrepreneurs, university chancellors, and cultural leaders, underscored Britain’s interest in deepening economic ties.

Starmer’s remarks appeared to counter Trump’s earlier characterization of India as a “dead economy” amid tensions over New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil.

In July, Trump had said, “I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care,” while the US imposed additional tariffs on Indian goods.

However, India’s robust 7.8% GDP growth in the April-June quarter and subsequent diplomatic engagement with Washington highlighted the resilience of the Indian economy and the mending of US-India relations.