UK: Indian diaspora in London meets PM Modi, calls it 'surreal' and 'emotional'

Jul 23, 2025

London [UK], July 24 : Members of the Indian diaspora in London expressed joy and admiration after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his ongoing visit to the United Kingdom, calling the moment surreal and emotionally overwhelming.
Gehna Gautam, one of the diaspora members, shared her excitement after seeing the Prime Minister up close. "I just met the PM. He walked past us. It was a surreal moment. I got to shake my hand. He is so dynamic. It was an amazing experience. The enthusiasm and energy of the people around here is on another level." she said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Sanjay said, "I am very happy to meet PM Modi. He has come here for a very important job. We wish him and Bharat good luck. He is doing a great job."

Bhavya described her brief encounter with the Prime Minister as unforgettable. "The Prime Minister shook my hand and gave me 'Ashirwad'. It was the best feeling ever." he remarked.

Shivani, another member of the diaspora, spoke about the emotional impact of the meeting. "We shook hands twice and he also blessed me on my head. It is my pleasure to meet him. We are very blessed to have him over here. We are really very happy today."

Shreya Pareek, who had arrived specifically to meet PM Modi, expressed her appreciation for his leadership and recent initiatives. "I came here to meet PM Modi. I am glad that I got that opportunity. I want to congratulate him for Operation Sindoor and all the other things he is doing for India."

The Prime Minister's visit has evoked strong emotions among the Indian community in the UK, with many calling it a moment of pride and a personal highlight in their lives.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the United Kingdom on Wednesday, marking the first leg of his two-nation visit. The two countries are poised to further strengthen bilateral ties by signing a Free Trade Agreement.
PM Modi landed in London for a two-day visit to the United Kingdom. In his departure statement, PM Modi had said that India and the UK share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that has witnessed significant progress in recent years.
"Our collaboration spans a wide range of sectors, including trade, investment, technology, innovation, defence, education, research, sustainability, health and people-to-people ties," he said.
PM Modi will hold discussions with his UK counterpart Keir Starmer. The two leaders will have the opportunity to further enhance economic partnership, aimed at fostering prosperity, growth and jobs creation in both countries.
PM Modi will also call on Charles III.
This will be Prime Minister Modi's fourth visit to the United Kingdom since assuming office. He had previously visited in 2015 and 2018, and he was also present in 2021 for the COP26 summit in Glasgow.
Within the last year itself, Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Starmer have met twice, first on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro last year, and more recently, just last month, in June, in Kananaskis in Canada, on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
The India-UK partnership was upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2021 and has since seen regular high-level political exchanges. Both sides remain committed to taking this partnership to even higher levels.
The idea behind the trade deal is to eliminate or reduce tariffs on imports and exports between the two nations. This should make Indian products competitive in the UK and vice versa. Both nations desire to increase their trade to USD 120 billion by 2030.
In the second leg of his visit, PM Modi will visit Maldives.

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