India ties expected to stay course under new UK PM
Strategic experts forecast that the strength of the India-UK partnership will stay the course under incoming British prime minister Andy Burnham, who clinched the Labour Party leadership in the same week as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) entered into force.
Burnham, 56, was elected unopposed on Friday and will take over from Keir Starmer at Downing Street on Monday after the formal choreography of the handover of power is completed. While much is expected to change, given the former mayor of Greater Manchester’s pledge to do things differently, the one major constant in terms of foreign policy is expected on the India front.
“Over this past year, we have valued close engagement with the Greater Manchester authorities, particularly Mr Andy Burnham, whose energy and warm support has done much to strengthen India-North-England ties,” Vishakha Yaduvanshi, the Consul General of India in Manchester, told PTI.
As the first head of India’s new diplomatic mission in the UK, Yaduvanshi views the Consulate’s opening in March last year as a “landmark moment” that spotlights the tremendous potential of the north of England – “its industries, academia and sporting ethos” – within the India-UK relationship.
“His [Burnham’s] 2019 visit to India, meeting with the former Indian high commissioner [Vikram Doraiswami] in December 2025, and his virtual participation in the India-North England Opportunity Summit [March 2026] reflect a longstanding commitment to this partnership,” she said.
Burnham has spoken of “fond memories” from the visit that took in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi seven years ago, coordinated by the Manchester India Partnership (MIP) – an organisation set up for businesses and universities to engage with India.
“India is a key market in Greater Manchester’s internationalisation strategy as it presents significant opportunities to the city-region, but these opportunities are mutual, and Greater Manchester is also helping India with its own economic growth plans,” he said at the time.
He highlighted “digital technology, engineering, advanced manufacturing, healthcare and academia” as well as “opportunities for tourism, sport and cultural collaboration” as some of the sectors of focus.
“Andy understands that growth comes from longer-term relationships. If you look at his own track record in Manchester, he’s worked to strengthen links with India through businesses, universities, innovation and improving connectivity with a direct flight between India and Manchester,” shared Rajesh Agrawal, chair of the Labour Friends of India (LFIN) diaspora group.
Having worked closely with Burnham during his previous tenure as Labour’s deputy mayor of London, Indore-born Agrawal feels the incoming PM’s domestic devolution agenda will find synergies in India’s federal set-up.
“He’s a big fan of devolution and empowering different regions, and India is of course a federal structure with many states. So, I also see him engaging more with regional governments,” he reflected.
Rahul Roy-Chaudhury, Senior Fellow for South Asia at London-based think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), foresees “continuity” in the India-UK relationship because it “has not been better in over a decade” with back-to-back prime ministerial visits last year and the entry into force of CETA on Wednesday.
“New PM Andy Burnham has an opportunity to deepen these improved India-UK ties, deliver on the prosperity agenda and ensure a landmark dividend on bilateral defence and strategic cooperation with India, which looks to diversify its defence relationships while modernising its armed forces capability and boosting defence manufacturing in order to export to the world,” said Roy-Chaudhury.
British Indian think tank, 1928 Institute, echoed the sentiment of progression but called for proactive measures to maintain the momentum built up by the outgoing PM and his team.
“From an India policy and diaspora perspective, Andy Burnham would inherit a strong foundation. However, his attention is likely to be pulled in several directions, particularly given the domestic focus of his agenda.
“It would therefore be prudent to establish an India Task Force and/or appoint an India Trade Envoy, to maintain the current momentum,” said institute chair Dr Nikita Ved.
Lord Karan Bilimoria, Cobra Beer founder and co-chair of the India All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), expressed confidence that Burnham will continue to “prioritise India” and hopes that the political instability that is bringing in the UK’s seventh prime minister in 10 years will make way for some steadiness.
“Stability for at least for the next three years until the next general election, so that businesses in the UK and in India can invest in each other’s countries... which will create jobs on both sides,” said Bilimoria.
“We need to double our trade, going from nearly 50 billion pounds today to 100 billion pounds by 2030... I’m very confident of a very bright future for the UK and India from now onwards,” he said.
Tech entrepreneur Uday Nagaraju, one of the newer British Indian Labour peers in the House of Lords, said the incoming UK PM “inherits an exceptionally strong” bilateral scenario and is expected to maintain the “same strategic direction” with India.
“It would also be combined with Andy Burnham’s own characteristic focus, based on his work in Manchester on regional growth, skills, infrastructure, and bringing government and business together.
“I think the next stage [for India-UK ties] will be about converting the trade agreement into investment, exports, jobs, research partnerships, and opportunities for smaller companies in both countries,” said Nagaraju.
