New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet in Mumbai this week to hold discussions on further strengthening bilateral trade and investment, technology and innovation, defence and security, climate and energy, health, education and people-to-people relations, apart from issues of regional global importance.

The UK Prime Minister, who is scheduled to arrive in India on October 8, and PM Modi will attend the sixth edition of the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai on October 9 and deliver keynote addresses at the event.

Both leaders will engage with businesses and industry leaders on the opportunities presented by the India-U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement as a central pillar of the future India-U.K. economic partnership.

The two Prime Ministers will take stock of the progress in diverse aspects of the India-U.K. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in line with ‘Vision 2035’, a focused and time-bound 10-year roadmap of programmes and initiatives.

PM Modi visited London on July 24, 2025, the India and the UK signed the historic Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the Vision 2035 document, as well as a new Defence Industrial Roadmap.

CETA aims to boost bilateral trade and economic cooperation. The UK has offered zero duty on 99.1 per cent of Indian goods, facilitating professional mobility for skilled workers, and enhancing market access for services. The deal aims to double bilateral trade by 2030 and promotes collaboration in areas like digital trade, sustainability, and innovation.

Elaborating on the agreement, he said that the agreement will help gain market access in the U.K. for “Indian textiles, footwear, gems and jewellery, seafood, and engineering goods. On the other hand, U.K.-made products such as medical devices and aerospace components will become more accessible and affordable for Indian consumers and industries.”

The key pillars of India-UK Vision 2035 include growth and jobs in the UK and India, education and skills partnership to nurture the next generation of global talent. The vision also covers the development of cutting-edge technology and research, building on the Technology Security Initiative, focused on future telecoms, AI and critical minerals, semiconductors, quantum, bio-technology and advanced materials.

Defence and security co-operation, including a common commitment to peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, is another important pillar of the vision. Besides, it includes a climate partnership focused on accelerating clean energy, mobilising climate finance at scale, and strengthening resilience

The India-UK Defence Industrial Roadmap aims to enhance collaboration in co-design, co-development and co-production of defence products to meet the growing demand in both countries as well as for the world market.

The broad spectrum of activities includes joint military exercises, port calls, defence technological cooperation, promoting Make in India, subject matter expert exchanges for exchange of best practices (SMEEs), defence education and defence procurement.

Regular bilateral and multilateral military exercises such as Exercise Konkan 2023, Exercise Cobra Warrior 2023, Exercise Ajeya Warrior 2023, and Exercise TarangShakti 2024 will also be held.

Mumbai, Oct 6: The Indian stock markets continued their winning streak for the third straight session on Monday, driven by strong buying in the IT and banking shares.

The benchmark Sensex jumped 582.95 points, or 0.72 per cent, to close at 81,790.12, while the Nifty rose 183.4 points, or 0.74 per cent, to end the day at 25,077.

“From a technical perspective, Nifty has successfully broken above the key psychological and technical resistance level of 25,000, turning the structure decisively positive,” analysts said.

“Any dip toward the 25,000 zone is expected to act as a strong support level, with immediate resistance seen at 25,200 and 25,500,” they added.

The Bank Nifty also delivered a stellar performance, opening with a gap-up and maintaining its upward trajectory through the session.

The index surged past 56,100, hitting an intra-day high of 56,164, with next resistance levels seen at 56,300–56,500, and support placed around 55,821–55,500, experts stated.

Broader markets also joined the rally, with the Nifty Midcap 100 gaining 0.89 per cent and the Nifty Smallcap 100 inching up 0.28 per cent.

In the Sensex pack, TCS, Tech Mahindra, Eternal, Axis Bank, and Bajaj Finance were the top performers, climbing as much as 3 per cent.

Meanwhile, Trent, Tata Steel, Power Grid, and Titan ended the session with losses. Among sectors, IT stocks led the gains as the Nifty IT index surged 2.28 per cent.

The Nifty Private Bank, Financial Services, and Healthcare indices also closed in positive territory.

On the other hand, Metal, FMCG, and Media shares came under pressure, slipping up to 1 per cent.

Market experts said the upbeat sentiment in IT stocks and strong institutional buying supported the overall market momentum.

“The domestic equity market ended the session on a positive note, led by gains in the financial services and IT sectors, ahead of the Q2 results,” they said.

“The banking index outperformed, bolstered by strong quarterly updates announced by large scheduled banks and attractive valuations, while hospital stocks surged following the revision of CGHS rates,” market experts added.

New Delhi, Oct 6: Public sector giant Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has supplied the entire requirement of special grade steel for the INS Androth, commissioned into the Indian Navy on Monday, marking a proud milestone in the country’s journey to achieve self-reliance in the defence sector.

INS Androth is the second vessel in the series of Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) corvettes, the first being INS Arnala, which was commissioned on 18th June this year.

SAIL has supplied the full quantity of special grade steel – including HR Sheets and Plates – for the eight ASW-SWC, including INS Arnala and Androth, being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. (GRSE).

The steel was sourced from SAIL’s plants in Bokaro, Bhilai and Rourkela. INS Androth’s commissioning underscores India’s growing maritime capabilities and the nation’s commitment to “Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” according to a SAIL statement.

SAIL had also supplied 8,000 tonnes of critical-grade steel for the country’s advanced frontline warships INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, which were inducted into the Indian Navy fleet in August this year.

SAIL played a crucial role in building these two advanced frigates for the Indian Navy. Partnering with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE), SAIL supplied essential critical-grade hot-rolled sheets and plates from its Bokaro, Bhilai, and Rourkela Steel Plants.

By developing and providing critical-grade steel for the Indian Navy, SAIL has made a significant contribution to import substitution and defence self-reliance, directly supporting the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives and lessening India’s dependence on imported special quality steel for defence requirements.

Special Plate Plant at RSP alone has supplied over 100,000 tonnes of critical grade steel for defence applications like tanks, warships, and missiles, the statement said.

The commissioning of INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri powerfully demonstrates the strength and depth of a fully indigenous defence ecosystem – from the foundational steel to the intricate design and dedicated crew.

SAIL’s enduring partnership with India’s defence sector is well-established, with a proud history of supplying critical-grade steel for iconic vessels such as the INS Vikrant, INS Nilgiri, INS Ajay, INS Nistar, INS Vindhyagiri, and INS Surat, among others. This unwavering commitment solidifies SAIL’s standing as a trusted national manufacturer and a vital collaborator in the country’s ongoing naval modernisation, the SAIL statement added.