PM Modi calls for deeper India-UK fintech collaboration under new trade pact
India’s policy stability, digital reach, and push for regulatory predictability have positioned it as one of the most attractive markets for financial technology investment, PM Modi said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on business leaders to seize what he called a “historic moment” in India-UK economic ties, highlighting fintech as the central pillar of cooperation under the recently signed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
Speaking at the India-UK CEOs Forum alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, PM Modi said the agreement between the countries marks “not just a trade deal but is a roadmap for shared progress and shared prosperity.” He pointed to fintech as a key sector where India’s scale and digital infrastructure could combine with the UK’s financial expertise to create global standards.
“Nearly 50% of the world’s real-time digital transactions happen in India,” PM Modi said, emphasising that the convergence of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure and the UK’s experience in financial services “can benefit all of humanity.”
PM Modi outlined four “new dimensions” for the trade relationship—Commerce, Education, Technology, and Aspirations—under the acronym CETA. He called for structured collaboration in critical sectors such as fintech, green hydrogen, semiconductors, and startups, and invited British firms to participate in India’s expanding financial ecosystem.
India’s policy stability, digital reach, and push for regulatory predictability have positioned it as one of the most attractive markets for financial technology investment, PM Modi said. Recent reforms, including updates to the GST (goods and services tax) framework and a renewed focus on ease of doing business, aim to strengthen the country’s middle class and MSME growth story.
“Let India and the UK set global benchmarks together,” PM Modi said, encouraging joint ventures that leverage India’s talent and market scale with the UK’s R&D and financial know-how.
The two leaders’ Vision 2035 plan, announced earlier this year, targets doubling bilateral trade from $56 billion by 2030 and establishing India and the UK as leading partners in digital finance and innovation.
Edited by Swetha Kannan