From one chaiwala to another: Indian tea seller's viral moment with PM in UK

The UK is known to be obsessed with its tea. So, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose humble beginnings as a tea seller are well known, visited the UK, there was bound to be some "chai pe charcha".

The incident happened when PM Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer marked the signing of the landmark free trade agreement (FTA) by sharing a cup of tea at Chequers, the official country residence of the UK Prime Minister.

A tea stall was set up on the lawn by an Indian-origin entrepreneur, Akhil Patel, who owns Amala Chai. The heartwarming interaction between Patel and PM Modi has now gone viral.

As the two leaders arrive at his stall, Patel, dressed in a colourful Nehru jacket, declares that his tea is "sourced from India, but brewed in London".

He also lists the ingredients as he prepares a cuppa for the two leaders.

"Masala chai, sourced from India. Tea comes from Assam, spices from Kerala," Patel says as he hands a cup of tea to Starmer.

However, the moment that stood out and made Patel viral was his witty remark when he hands over a cup of tea to PM Modi. "From one chaiwala to another," Patel is heard saying. The joke was not lost on the Prime Minister, who responded with a chuckle and a nod to the quip.

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