Chai Pe Charcha and a sapling for the King: PM Modis day of diplomacy in UK

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart, Sir Keir Starmer, shared a symbolic "tea break" at Chequers, the official country residence of the UK prime minister, after witnessing the signing of a historic India–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Taking to social media platform X, PM Modi posted a photograph of the two leaders enjoying tea from a stall named Amala Chai. He captioned the post: "'Chai Pe Charcha' with PM Keir Starmer at Chequers... brewing stronger India-UK ties!"

During his visit to Chequers, PM Modi also interacted with young players from the Buckinghamshire Street Cricket Hubs, celebrating the shared love for cricket between the two nations. "At Chequers, PM Keir Starmer and I interacted with players… Great to see sport fostering people-to-people ties between our nations. Also gave my young friends a bat signed by the Indian cricket team which won the T20 World Cup," he wrote in another post on X.

Later in the day, PM Modi also visited Sandringham House to meet King Charles III, where he presented the monarch with a sapling as part of the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' tree plantation initiative. The initiative encourages people to plant trees in tribute to their mothers.

In a statement on X, the Royal Family said: "This afternoon, The King received the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Narendra Modi, at Sandringham House. During their time together, His Majesty was given a tree to be planted this Autumn, inspired by the environmental initiative launched by the Prime Minister, 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam'."

According to reports, the sapling presented to King Charles III is a Davidia involucrata 'Sonoma', also known as the Sonoma dove tree or handkerchief tree -- an ornamental tree admired for its early and abundant blooming.

PM Modi, in another post, said the King's gesture of joining the initiative is "very noteworthy and will inspire people around the world".

At Sandringham House, the two leaders also discussed various aspects of India–UK bilateral ties, including trade and investment, especially in the context of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Vision 2035 roadmap. Their discussions also touched upon education, healthcare, wellness—particularly Yoga and Ayurveda along with environmental protection, and sustainability.