New Delhi, June 17 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a series of high-level bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France, on Wednesday, engaging with United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to advance India's strategic partnerships and discuss major regional and global developments.
During his meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Modi reviewed the growing momentum in India-UK relations and welcomed progress across a broad spectrum of cooperation under the ambitious Vision 2035 roadmap.
The two leaders assessed developments in trade and economic growth, defence and security, climate action, green energy, technology and innovation, as well as education and people-to-people exchanges.
The discussions came against the backdrop of strengthened engagement between New Delhi and London following the reciprocal visits of the two prime ministers last year, which injected fresh energy into the bilateral relationship.
Both leaders expressed optimism about the early implementation of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which is expected to significantly boost bilateral trade, investment flows and economic collaboration.
The leaders also highlighted the expanding educational partnership between the two countries. They noted recent progress by the University of Liverpool in establishing a campus in Bengaluru and plans by the University of York and the University of Bristol to set up campuses in Mumbai, developments seen as a major step in deepening academic and research cooperation.
Modi thanked Starmer for the United Kingdom's strong participation in the AI Impact Summit hosted by India in New Delhi earlier this year and welcomed the steady advancement of cooperation under the Technology Security Initiative.
Both leaders acknowledged the recent launch of the India-UK Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory, describing it as an important mechanism for strengthening supply chain resilience and cooperation in strategically significant sectors.
"The leaders reviewed the strong momentum in India-UK relations and welcomed progress across all pillars of Vision 2035," an official statement said, adding that they looked forward to the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.
The two prime ministers also exchanged views on pressing regional and international issues, including developments in West Asia and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. They reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and maintaining close coordination on global challenges.
Seperately, Modi met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in what was their third meeting of 2026, underscoring the depth and dynamism of the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The frequency of high-level engagements between the two leaders reflects the growing importance of ties between the two countries across economic, strategic and geopolitical domains.
The two leaders reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation in areas such as technology, trade, investment, energy and defence, building upon outcomes from Sheikh Mohamed's visit to India
in January and Modi's visit to the UAE in May this year.
According to the official statement, the leaders expressed satisfaction with the positive trajectory of cooperation and exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual concern.
A significant part of the discussions focused on the evolving situation in West Asia.
Modi emphasized the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in addressing regional tensions and reiterated the need to uphold international law, sovereignty and territorial integrity as the foundation for lasting peace and stability.
"Prime Minister underscored the importance of dialogue, diplomacy, and respect for international law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity in advancing enduring peace, security, and stability in the West Asia region," the statement said.
The two sides also stressed the importance of ensuring free, safe and uninterrupted navigation and commercial activity through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical maritime trade routes and a key artery for global energy supplies.
During the meeting, Modi extended an invitation to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to attend the BRICS Summit that India will host later this year, reflecting New Delhi's efforts to deepen engagement with key strategic partners as it prepares to host the influential grouping.
The back-to-back meetings with the leaders of the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates highlighted India's continued diplomatic outreach on the margins of the G7 Summit and its efforts to strengthen strategic partnerships across regions.
The engagements also underscored New Delhi's focus on advancing trade, technology cooperation, education, energy security and regional stability amid an increasingly complex global geopolitical environment.
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