External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday met British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London.
Jaishankar said that he was delighted to call on the British Prime Minister on the day of Diwali and added that he has conveyed the best wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to his counterpart.
He also thanked Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, for their warm reception and gracious hospitality. The foreign minister’s wife, Kyoko Jaishankar, was also present.
“Delighted to call on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Diwali Day. Conveyed the best wishes of PM Narendra Modi. India and UK are actively engaged in reframing the relationship for contemporary times. Thank Mr. and Mrs. Sunak for their warm reception and gracious hospitality,” the foreign minister wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Jaishankar on Sunday arrived in London on a five-day visit to the UK with an aim to review various aspects of bilateral ties and give “new impetus to the friendly ties”.
“Wishing everyone a very happy and prosperous Diwali. Hope that this Festival of Lights brings peace, prosperity and health for all,” the EAM posted on X on Sunday.
In Britain, Jaishankar is expected to attend an event at Lord’s Cricket Ground and address a Diwali Reception organised by the High Commission of India in London on Monday.
Later, he is also expected at a repatriation ceremony for two ancient temple sculptures from Uttar Pradesh and join a discussion on the theme of ‘How a billion people see the world’.
He will also hold talks with his UK counterpart, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, in London, and is expected to discuss Sunak’s possible visit to India in the next few months, according to PTI.
On Saturday, Sunak had extended Diwali wishes to all those celebrating around the UK and the world. He had said that his “guiding light” as prime minister is the determination to change things for the better and as a symbol of the triumph of light over darkness.
“With the lighting of the Diyas, let this be a moment we can look to the future with hope. My guiding light as Prime Minister is the determination to change things for the better, and as a symbol of the triumph of light over darkness, I believe Diwali is a poignant representation of the endeavour for a brighter tomorrow,” the prime minister had said in a statement.
He had also added that as Britain’s first Asian prime minister and a devout Hindu, he hopes that Diwali can be a celebration of the ethnic and cultural diversity in the United Kingdom.
