PM Modi meets King Charles at Sandringham House, gifts him tree sapling

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met King Charles III at Sandringham House in the United Kingdom on Thursday, shortly after the signing of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement. The meeting reflected the ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.

In a post on X, the British royal family confirmed that King Charles received Prime Minister Modi at Sandringham House on Thursday afternoon. During the meeting, PM Modi presented the King with a tree sapling to be planted later this year.

The gesture was part of the Indian Prime Minister’s environmental campaign, “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam”, which encourages individuals to plant a tree in honour of their mothers. The initiative was recently launched as a national movement focused on environmental sustainability.

"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”, which encourages people to plant a tree in tribute to their mothers," the royal family said in the post.

Sapling presented by PM Modi to King Charles was a Davidia involucrata ‘Sonoma’. Commonly known as the Sonoma dove tree or handkerchief tree, this ornamental species is noted for its distinctive white bracts that resemble fluttering handkerchiefs or doves hanging from its branches, as per news agency ANI. Unlike the typical Davidia involucrata, which may take up to two decades to bloom, the 'Sonoma' cultivar is known for its early flowering, often beginning within two to three years of planting.

Earlier today, India and the United Kingdom signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement on July 24, aiming to boost bilateral trade by nearly $34 billion annually.