Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made a high-profile visit to India just days before the UK is set to officially restart trade negotiations, Politico reported.
Sunak, who has maintained a low profile since his election defeat in July 2023, was warmly received by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior officials, signaling a concerted effort to smooth relations ahead of the upcoming trade talks.
During his visit, Sunak toured the Indian parliament, met with key ministers, and garnered significant media attention, with his trip prominently featured in major Indian outlets.
As prime minister, Sunak had aimed to finalise a trade deal with India before the UK’s summer election but fell short due to disagreements over sensitive issues such as social security and visas. Sunak had pushed for a broader and deeper agreement, refusing to make concessions that could have expedited the process.
Now, as a Member of Parliament, Sunak appears to be mending fences ahead of UK Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds’ visit to India next week, which will officially mark the resumption of trade negotiations.
Warm welcome from Indian leaders
Prime Minister Modi, who hosted Sunak and his family—including his mother-in-law, Sudha Murthy, co-founder of Indian tech giant Infosys—took to social media to praise Sunak as a “great friend of India” who is “passionate about even stronger India-UK ties.”
Sunak also met with Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. The latter posted on X that it was “nice to meet” Sunak and expressed appreciation for his “constant support for strengthening relations.”
However, a UK official, speaking anonymously, clarified that Sunak was not acting on behalf of the UK government during his visit. The official also emphasised that standard protocols were followed to support Sunak’s trip.
Meanwhile, UK Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is preparing for his own visit to India, scheduled to begin this Sunday. Investment Minister Poppy Gustafsson will also travel to India early next week to attend the UK-India AI Conference, hosted at the headquarters of Infosys, the tech firm co-founded by Sunak’s in-laws.
