India, July 23 -- Signing of a trade deal will be at the heart of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's July 23-24 visit to the UK. Modi will have meetings with his counterpart Keir Starmer and King Charles III in what is his fourth visit to the UK since he became PM in 2014.

The free trade agreement (FTA), though, is not a standalone highlight. The visit and the deal are being seen as wider political reset towards collaboration in defence, for instance, as India is to spend a significant amount on upgrading its armed forces.

Khalistani extremism, many of whose supporters and backers are believed to be in the UK, is also casting a shadow on the visit to some degree. The UK is understood to have put in place extensive security arrangements to a...