'Use English Words': PM Modi’s Candid Moment With Translator Wins Internet As Starmer Adds 'We Understand Each Other Well' | VIDEO

During their joint press conference following the signing of the landmark India–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) at Chequers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lightened the mood by reassuring a struggling Hindi translator mid‑session. Commenting on the translator’s falter, he quipped, “Don’t bother, we can use English words in between. Don’t worry about it.” His relaxed tone echoed over the microphone and signalled camaraderie between the two leaders

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded with a broad smile: “I think we understand each other well.” The simple exchange encapsulated the rapport and shared vision at the heart of the gathering, reflecting both leaders’ comfort and mutual respect.

FTA Milestone and Shared Humor

The moment occurred in the midst of a high-stakes diplomatic event, the formal finaliSation of a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The deal is set to reduce tariffs on a vast array of goods, enhance market access, foster investment, and potentially double bilateral trade. Against this backdrop, Modi’s gesture to the translator drew attention not just for its warmth, but because it underscored how cultural understanding and shared language can smooth diplomatic ties

#WATCH | "Don't bother, we can use English words in between. Don't worry about it," says PM Narendra Modi candidly as translations for questions and answers were made at their press statement and the journalists' questions that followed.

"I think we understand each other well,"… pic.twitter.com/VUe2wqQllG

— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2025

India and the UK have signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA), hailed as the UK's most significant bilateral deal since Brexit. The agreement is expected to boost bilateral trade by USD 34 billion annually and attract £6 billion in new investment. It will reduce UK tariffs from an average of 15 per cent to 3 per cent and eliminate duties on 99% of Indian exports. The FTA will benefit key Indian sectors like agriculture, textiles, and leather, with Indian agricultural products gaining tariff parity with EU exporters and the leather industry projected to increase its UK market share by 5 per cent within two years.

With trade agreements inked and goodwill evident, both countries appear poised to deepen ties across sectors like defence, climate action, technology, and people-to-people contact. So while tariffs and trade figures may headline the headlines, it’s the unscripted, human moments, like Modi’s lighthearted interjection, that might, in time, become equally historic.