New Delhi: Three months after sealing a free trade pact, Indian and UK prime ministers took a virtual ‘victory lap’ in Mumbai on Thursday (October 9), hailing new economic and education initiatives even as the issue of Khalistani extremism was again raised during their talks.Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer had signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) in July during Modi’s short visit to Chequers. Under the deal, bilateral trade is expected to double within five years, with India slashing tariffs on whisky and automobiles, while the UK will reduce duties on Indian textiles, gems and seafood.Starmer chose Mumbai for his first visit to India, leading a 125-member business delegation, to underline what he called “a new, modern partnership focused on the future and on winning the opportunities that it offers”.Speaking in Hindi during his remarks, Modi described the agreement as “historic”, saying it would “reduce import costs between our two countries, create new employment opportunities for youth, boost trade, and benefit both our industry and consumers”. He told Starmer that his visit “symbolises the new energy” in ties between the two nations.Starmer said the trade deal marked “a breakthrough moment, years in the making”, that would “slash tariffs, increase access to each other’s markets to drive growth and create jobs for our people”. He said he had brought “our largest trade delegation for a decade” to India, comprising some of Britain’s “biggest, most iconic businesses”, as well as representatives from education, sport and the arts.“My visit this week is about doubling down on the potential of our trade deal for the benefit of all of us,” he said, adding that he expected “major new investments creating thousands of high-skilled jobs” in both countries by the time he departed later on Thursday.Foreign secretary Vikram Misri told reporters that the issue of Khalistani extremism, which had been discussed when Modi visited the UK in July, was “flagged again” in Thursday’s talks. He said the prime minister had stressed that “radicalism and violent extremism had no space in democratic societies” and “should not be allowed to use or abuse the freedoms provided by democratic frameworks.” The two sides, he added, agreed on the need to act against such elements within their respective legal systems.Modi’s prepared remarks did not refer to the issue, though he had spoken about it publicly in July.In March 2023, the Indian high commission in London was targeted by Khalistani protesters, raising alarm in New Delhi. The UK government has maintained that peaceful demonstrations cannot be banned.Starmer told reporters that he had raised the case of Jagtar Singh Johal, a Scottish Sikh imprisoned in India since 2017, during his talks with Modi. “We always raise them when we have the opportunity to do so,” he said.He added that the UK foreign secretary would meet Johal’s family and others “in the coming weeks”.Ahead of the meeting, Starmer’s office claimed 64 Indian companies had committed to invest more than 1 billion pounds ($1.34 bn) in the UK, creating nearly 7,000 jobs across sectors such as engineering, technology and the creative industries.In his remarks, Starmer also announced that all British universities would be able to set up campuses in India under new rules agreed between the two sides. He said the move would “make Britain India’s leading international provider of higher education” and was part of the Vision 2035 framework finalised alongside the trade deal in July.“This is about creating opportunities for the younger generation in India who will lead the charge to deliver on that 2047 target,” Starmer said. “The demand for the best quality higher education is very high, so I’m really pleased that we’re announcing today that all British universities will be setting up campuses right here in India,” he added.According to the UK government, the expansion of British higher education in India is expected to bring in about 50 million pounds ($67 million) to the UK economy and strengthen long-term academic and research partnerships. The University of Lancaster and the University of Surrey have received formal approval to open new campuses, joining institutions such as the University of Southampton, which opened in Delhi earlier this year, and Queen’s University Belfast, which is establishing a branch at GIFT City in Gujarat.Other universities, including York, Aberdeen, Bristol, Liverpool and Coventry, are also preparing to launch campuses in India from next year. India stated that nine UK universities have been given approval under the New Education Policy.The British readout said the expansion would help meet India’s growing demand for university places. The Labour government, facing pressure at home to curb immigration, also argued the arrangement would allow Indian students to pursue UK degrees in India “without adding pressure to domestic migration figures”.On defence and security, Modi said the two countries were “moving towards defence co-production and connecting the defence industries of both countries.” He announced a new agreement for cooperation in military training “under which flying instructors from the Indian Air Force will serve as trainers with the UK’s Royal Air Force.” He also noted that the meeting coincided with the joint naval exercise Konkan 2025, which is taking place off India’s western coast.The UK Ministry of Defence said a new 350 million pound ($468 million) contract would see the UK supply the Indian Army with lightweight multirole missiles and launchers built in Northern Ireland. The deal, it said, “paves the way for a broader complex weapons partnership” currently under negotiation.The two sides also signed an implementing arrangement to advance collaboration on electric-powered engines for naval ships, marking the next stage of a 250 million pound joint project.Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said the meeting gave both leaders an opportunity to review cooperation in a defence sector that “has seen considerable expansion in recent years.” He said they discussed electric propulsion technology, maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and implementation of the Defence Industrial Roadmap announced earlier this year.Both sides, he added, welcomed progress on a regional Maritime Security Centre of Excellence under India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.On international issues, Starmer said the two sides had discussed the conflict in Ukraine and ways to end the war.He said the leaders had also spoken about India’s continued purchases of Russian oil and that “we each went through the steps we’re taking to bring about a resolution of the conflict”.