FirstUp: UK PM Starmer to meet Xi, India’s Economic Survey to be tabled... News today

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will be meeting Chinese Premier Xi Jinping today in Beijing. Meanwhile, the Economic Survey will be tabled in Parliament on January 29.

In Spain, farmers will hold a protest against the EU-Mercosur trade deal. Direct air connectivity will be restored between Bangladesh and Pakistan today. The Beating Retreat ceremony to officially end the Republic Day celebrations will take place today in Delhi.

Here is all that is scheduled to take place across the world today.

Keir Starmer to meet Xi Jinping

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to meet Chinese Premier Xi Jinping in Beijing today. Starmer is on a four-day visit to China, marking this the first visit by a UK Prime Minister to the country in eight years.

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Starmer will meet Xi for a formal lunch in Beijing, followed by high-level talks with Premier Li Qiang and top legislator Zhao Leji. Interestingly, the PM will be accompanied by nearly 60 executives from major British companies, including HSBC, GSK, and Airbus, aimed at securing trade and investment deals.

With this visit, Starmer aims to move past years of "ice age" relations, seeking a "comprehensive and consistent" approach to boost the UK economy.

Economic Survey to be presented

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey 2025-26 in both houses of the Indian Parliament. It is prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs under the guidance of the Chief Economic Advisor (CEA), Dr V Anantha Nageswaran and serves as the definitive report card for the Indian economy.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey at both houses of the Parliament today. File image/Reuters

The survey will detail India's resilience against global headwinds, focusing on inflation management and fiscal deficit targets. The document will outline structural reforms needed to achieve the government's vision of a Developed India by 2047.

The Economic Survey traditionally sets the stage for the Union Budget, which will be presented on Sunday (February 1). It provides the statistical backing and policy rationale for the fiscal measures the government will announce.

Spanish farmers protest

Spanish farmers will be holding a protest against the EU-Mercosur trade deal,  joining a broader European movement fearing unfair competition from South American imports.

Major agricultural organisations, including Asaja, Coordinadora de Organizaciones de Agricultores y Ganaderos. (COAG), and Unión de Pequeños Agricultores y Ganaderos (UPA), have coordinated massive "tractor marches" for today. It will begin at 8 am with hundreds of vehicles converging on Plaza de España.

Demonstrations are expected in provinces including Madrid, Valencia, Málaga, and Valladolid, potentially paralysing logistics and freight traffic.

Bangladesh-Pakistan to resume direct flights

After a hiatus of nearly 14 years, direct air connectivity between Bangladesh and Pakistan is scheduled to resume today. Biman Bangladesh Airlines will relaunch the route connecting Dhaka and Karachi.

According to reports, the service will operate twice weekly. Passengers previously relied on connecting flights through Middle Eastern hubs like Dubai or Doha, which often took 8 to 22 hours. With the launch of the direct flight, the travel time will be reduced to three hours.

This resumption follows a significant warming of bilateral ties after the 2024 change in the Bangladeshi government.

Beating Retreat ceremony to take place in New Delhi

The Beating Retreat ceremony, which officially marks an end to the Republic Day celebrations, will take place in New Delhi. Held at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi, the event is presided over by the President of India, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

This year’s theme commemorates 150 years of the national song, "Vande Mataram," incorporating stirring renditions. The ceremony traditionally begins at sunset with the arrival of the President in a ceremonial procession.

This will conclude the 77th Republic Day celebrations.