During his visit to the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for a relaxed ‘chai pe charcha’ at Chequers, the official countryside residence of the UK Prime Minister.
The two leaders shared tea made and served by an Indian chaiwala, making the moment a unique blend of diplomacy and cultural connection.
The informal setting turned into a heartwarming scene when Modi and Starmer were drawn to the aroma of masala chai being prepared by Akhil Patel. The Indian-origin tea seller offered them his signature blend and explained the spices and brewing technique that go into making his special chai. In the video that has now gone viral, Modi is seen telling Starmer, “You get the taste of India.”
Chai… might not have any significance for our learned opposition who always make fun of it but today our profolic leader @narendramodi Ji has made this simple Chai a world phenomenon.
— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) July 25, 2025
Even in countries like England, Chai has become sysnomus with charcha.
This has been made… pic.twitter.com/ajUtO3bDFV
Patel, while pouring tea for the Indian Prime Minister, smiled and said, “From one chaiwala to another,” referring to Modi’s well-known past as a tea seller. The interaction has captured public attention online, especially among the Indian diaspora in the UK.
Prime Minister Modi also shared a picture from the moment on his X account, writing, “Chai Pe Charcha with Keir Starmer at Chequers… brewing stronger India-UK ties!” The photo shows Starmer holding a cup of tea while seated with Modi in a relaxed setting.
Though Patel did not post anything from his personal social media, a short video was shared from his company’s Instagram account. The caption read, “Just a casual Thursday serving chai for @narendramodi @keirstarmer What a crazy day! Beyond honoured. We’ll be sharing the full story with you next week so keep your eyes peeled!”
Akhil Patel is the founder of Amala Chai. According to his LinkedIn profile, he studied at University College School in Hampstead and later earned a degree in Management from the London School of Economics. He previously worked as a data analyst before launching his tea business in 2019, inspired by his grandmother.
