New Delhi: What began as a high-level bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Mumbai on Thursday—focused on trade, education, defence cooperation, and regional stability, took an unexpected musical turn when musicians welcomed the UK counterpart of PM Modi with a rendition of Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh’s hit single Sapphire.
PM Modi shared a glimpse of the performance on social media and hailed it as “a great example of India–UK cultural partnership.”
He posted the video with the caption: “Wonderful rendition of Ed Sheeran & Arijit Singh’s ‘Sapphire,’ which is a great example of India–UK cultural partnership!”
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Wonderful rendition of Ed Sheeran & Arijit Singh’s Sapphire, which is a great example of India-UK cultural partnership! pic.twitter.com/aLtx5WyiXT
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 9, 2025
The rendition of the global hit for PM Modi and his UK counterpart featured a classical Indian touch, incorporating traditional instruments such as the sitar and tabla.
Sapphire is a 2025 single by British pop star Ed Sheeran featuring Indian playback singer Arijit Singh. The song was released as the third single from Sheeran’s eighth studio album, Play, in June 2025.
Also Read: ‘India-UK Partnership Key To Global Stability And Economic Growth,’ PM Modi In Mumbai
UK PM Visits Yash Raj Studios
Earlier, the UK Prime Minister was also greeted with the iconic love anthem “Tujhe Dekha To” from the 1995 blockbuster Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, during his visit to Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Taking to Instagram, Yash Raj Films shared a video of Starmer listening to the song with a smile on his face. The caption read: “Incredibly honoured to have had the opportunity to host the UK Prime Minister @keirstarmer at Yash Raj Films in Mumbai yesterday!”
Starmer also announced that Yash Raj Films will shoot several major productions across locations in the United Kingdom starting early 2026.
According to a press release issued by the production banner, the partnership between Yash Raj Films and the UK authorities will help create over 3,000 jobs and boost the British economy by millions of pounds.
Keir Starmer is currently on a two-day visit to India, following Prime Minister Modi’s trip to the United Kingdom in July.
