External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his wife Kyoko Jaishankar joined UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty for tea at their official residence at 10 Downing Street on Diwali. Jaishankar also gifted the UK Prime Minister a cricket bat signed by Virat Kohli among other gifts.
Posting about the meeting on X, Jaishakar said both countries were engaged in reframing the relationship for contemporary times. He tweeted, “Delighted to call on Prime Minister @RishiSunak on #Diwali Day. Conveyed the best wishes of PM @narendramodi. India and the UK are actively engaged in reframing the relationship for contemporary times.”
Jaishankar also thanked Sunak and his wife for the warm reception as he met them on the first day of his five-day official visit to the country aimed at reviewing several aspects of the bilateral relationship and giving "new impetus to the friendly ties".
"The Prime Minister @RishiSunak welcomed @DrSJaishankar to Downing Street this evening. Together they expressed their very best wishes as Indian communities worldwide begin #Diwali celebrations," the UK Prime Minister's office said in a post on X.
During his trip, he also paid a visit to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London and offered prayers on the occasion of Diwali.
"Blessed to visit the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London on Deepavali. Prayed for the peace, harmony and prosperity of our community around the world," Jaishankar said in a post on platform X.
"Glad to interact with our community. Their contributions are raising our profile around the world," he said.
The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London, also called the Neasden Temple, thanked the EAM for joining the celebrations on Sunday.
"We appreciate your kind words, which inspired the thousands of devotees and visitors from the local community who had joined the celebrations. May the #LivingBridge between Great Britain and Great Bharat grow and glow from strength to strength," the Neasden Temple said on X.