PM Modi Meets King Charles III Following Signing of Free Trade Agreement with UK

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met King Charles III at Sandringham House on Thursday during his visit to the United Kingdom, just hours after India and the UK signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The high-level meeting reflected the growing depth and multidimensional nature of the bilateral relationship.

Warm Exchange at Sandringham House

At Sandringham House, Prime Minister Modi expressed his delight at King Charles’s recovery and return to royal duties. The two leaders engaged in discussions on several shared interests, including sustainable living, Ayurveda, and Yoga, and agreed on the need to promote their health benefits globally.

They also discussed the newly signed FTA, which both agreed would inject fresh momentum into the bilateral partnership. Prime Minister Modi shared India’s progress in the renewable energy sector and its efforts toward sustainable development. Climate change and environmental collaboration featured prominently in their dialogue, with a mutual interest in advancing a shared vision for sustainability.

The Commonwealth also figured in their discussions, with both leaders exploring ways in which India and the UK could work more closely within the grouping.

In a symbolic gesture, Prime Minister Modi presented King Charles with a sapling as part of his green campaign Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (A Tree for Mother). The sapling is set to be planted at the Sandringham Estate during the upcoming autumn season.

The Royal Family also acknowledged the meeting with a tweet, “This afternoon, The King received the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, @NarendraModi, 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’, which encourages people to plant a tree in tribute to their mothers.”

Prime Minister Modi thanked King Charles for his gracious hospitality and extended a formal invitation for a State Visit to India.

The meeting, rich in symbolism and substance, not only celebrated a milestone in economic cooperation but also highlighted the two nations’ shared commitment to health, sustainability, and global partnership.

A Historic Trade Deal

Earlier in the day, India and the UK concluded the long-anticipated Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement in London. The pact, signed by India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, is expected to boost annual bilateral trade by nearly $34 billion. It is being hailed as India’s most ambitious trade agreement in more than a decade, and the UK’s first major post-Brexit deal.

Prime Minister Modi called the agreement a “new roadmap for shared prosperity,” citing its wide-reaching benefits for farmers, small businesses, professionals, and exporters. The deal grants near-zero duty access to Indian products like textiles, gems and jewellery, seafood, leather goods, processed foods, and engineering items opening new avenues for Indian industry and job creation.