On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with King Charles at Sandringham Estate in the United Kingdom, just hours after the India-UK Free Trade Agreement was signed. This meeting represented a crucial diplomatic event, underscoring the enhancement of bilateral relations between the two countries.

The British royal family shared on X that King Charles III welcomed PM Modi at Sandringham House on Thursday afternoon. During their discussion, the King received a tree intended for planting this autumn, inspired by PM Modi’s environmental initiative “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam,” which encourages individuals to plant a tree in honor of their mothers.

The royal family noted in their post, “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.”

Earlier today, India and the United Kingdom formalized a landmark Free Trade Agreement on July 24, which aims to enhance bilateral trade by nearly $34 billion each year.

The agreement was established in London during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds representing their respective nations.

Regarded as India’s most ambitious trade deal in over a decade and the UK’s first significant agreement following Brexit, the pact has been celebrated by both governments as a key milestone in their economic collaboration.

PM Modi referred to the agreement as a “new roadmap for shared prosperity,” emphasizing its extensive benefits for farmers, fishermen, small businesses, and professionals.

As part of the deal, Indian exports including textiles, gems and jewellery, seafood, leather goods, engineering products, and processed foods will enjoy near-zero duty access to the UK market, providing a substantial boost to Indian industry and job creation.