ANKARA

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a two-day visit to the UK beginning Wednesday, with a focus on trade, the economy, and defense, a senior official said on Tuesday.

This will be Modi's fourth visit to the UK, and the visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to review the entire scope of bilateral relations, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters in Delhi.

Misri said bilateral trade reached $55 billion in 2023-2024. Both sides have now concluded negotiations on a free trade agreement, and the two countries are completing "last-minute work" on the pact's "legal scrubbing," he added.

The two sides will review the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) progress, focusing on trade and economy, technology and innovation, and defense and security.

Prime Minister Modi will also pay a state visit to the Maldives on July 25-26, Misri said, adding that both sides are in talks to reach an agreement on free trade and investment.

"New areas of cooperation, including in renewable energy, fisheries, etc., are being worked upon," he explained.

Modi is the first head of state or government to visit the island nation during Mohamed Muizzu's presidency.