United Kingdom-India Agenda 2035: Emphasis on Environmentally-Friendly and Disaster-Resistant Agriculture, British Universities in India, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Commerce, and Much More
India-UK Vision 2035: A Comprehensive Partnership for a Sustainable Future
The India-UK Vision 2035, endorsed by Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Keir Starmer in July 2025, is a far-reaching strategic partnership designed to strengthen ties and drive sustainable growth between the two nations [1][5]. This ambitious plan, projected over the next decade until 2035, aims to deepen and diversify bilateral cooperation, unlocking mutual growth, prosperity, and shaping a secure and sustainable world amid rapid global change.
The Vision 2035 outlines a future-focused partnership across key sectors, including trade, technology, defence, education, clean energy, agriculture, and security [1][5]. The partnership is built on clear strategic goals and milestones for sustained collaboration and innovation, redefining the bilateral relationship to deliver transformative opportunities and tangible benefits for both countries.
Key sectors and initiatives outlined in India-UK Vision 2035 include:
- Trade and Economic Growth: An ambitious trade deal for growth and job creation in both India and the UK by unlocking markets and opportunities [1].
- Technology and Innovation: Cooperation in frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, space innovation, cyber defence, semiconductors, and critical minerals [2][3].
- Defence Collaboration: A Defence Industrial Roadmap to enhance joint capabilities and technology sharing [2][3].
- Clean Energy and Climate Action: Strengthening collaboration on climate and clean energy; UK access to India's renewable energy markets and boosting British green tech exports [2].
- Financial Services: Liberalisation measures including maintaining foreign investment caps in India's insurance sector and equal treatment for UK investors [2][4].
- Education and Skills: Partnership to nurture global talent with deeper transnational education collaborations, including establishing campuses of leading universities between both countries [1][5].
- Security and Global Threats: Joint work on counter-terrorism, corruption, organized crime, irregular migration, and enhanced intelligence-sharing [2][3].
- Implementation and Review Mechanisms: A structured, actionable framework with timelines and review processes to ensure delivery and progress [3][5].
In addition to these initiatives, the India-UK Vision 2035 also emphasizes cooperation in defence, with counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, and tackling cross-border crime as key priorities [2][3]. Talks are progressing on a Bilateral Investment Treaty between India and the UK. New platforms like the UK-India AI Centre and the Connectivity Innovation Centre are being set up to accelerate innovation and digital inclusion as part of the Vision 2035.
In the technology space, India and the UK plan to collaborate on artificial intelligence, 6G, semiconductors, biotechnology, space, and quantum research. Agriculture is included under the innovation and biotechnology agenda of the Vision 2035, with efforts to promote sustainable and climate-resilient farming. The aim is to boost food security, support rural development, and promote green solutions through shared innovation.
The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is expected to drive trade, jobs, and investment. Both India and the UK are pushing towards net-zero emissions as part of the Vision 2035. The UK plans to facilitate the opening of campuses of leading universities in India.
Regular platforms like JETCO, the Economic and Financial Dialogue, and the Financial Markets Dialogue will be used to support reforms and unlock growth in sectors like health, critical minerals, and financial services. The two nations will enhance joint military exercises, boost maritime cooperation, and upgrade security dialogues.
The India-UK Vision 2035 is a wide-ranging plan to deepen cooperation across key sectors, including agriculture, clean energy, trade, technology, education, and defence, signalling a long-term, actionable vision to build a strong, trusted, and ambitious partnership between the two nations. Both sides have reaffirmed their support for multilateral reforms and a rules-based global order. The Vision 2035 document will be reviewed annually and guided through regular high-level ministerial meetings. Under the India-UK Green Skills Partnership, green skills development will be a shared focus. The Net Zero Innovation Partnership, part of the Vision 2035, will back startups and scalable clean technologies in both countries. The India-UK Vision 2035 represents a comprehensive framework designed to leverage India-UK complementarities across economic, technological, defence, educational, environmental, and security domains.
- The India-UK Vision 2035, in the realm of education and self-development, envisions deeper transnational education collaborations, including establishing campuses of leading universities between both countries to nurture global talent [1][5].
- As part of the India-UK Vision 2035, cooperation in technology includes collaboration on frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, space innovation, and biotechnology to drive innovation and digital inclusion [2][3].
- Financial services are a key focus of the India-UK Vision 2035, with liberalisation measures like maintaining foreign investment caps in India's insurance sector and equal treatment for UK investors to foster growth [2][4].
