'Thank You for Chai pe Charcha,' President Barack Obama Says After PM Modi Pours Tea

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama had a tete-e-tete on the lawns of Hyderabad House after their lunch today. The two leaders had a short stroll, which was followed by tea, during which the Prime Minister poured out the beverage for his guest.

There was no communication from officials about what the two leaders had discussed. But during the joint address after the bilateral summit meeting, President Obama said, "Thank you for chai pe charcha. We need more of those in the White House."

Asked later what were topics under discussion, PM Modi said, "For now, let's keep it under wraps." Admitting that he shared a personal chemistry with President Obama, the Prime Minister said, "Relationships, chemistry matter more between leaders than commas and full-stops on paper".
For the Prime Minister, the tea was a reciprocation of sorts for the US President showing him around personally at Washington's Martin Luther King Jr Memorial during his visit to the US in September.

In what was widely described as a unique departure from protocol, Mr Obama had taken the Prime Minister on a short motorcade drive from the White House to the memorial of the civil rights activist, where PM Modi had planned to pay his respects. Walking around the memorial, the two leaders had shared a one-on-one discussion - which officials said had been mostly about Dr King and Mahatma Gandhi.

Ever since the US President's visit was decided, the officials have been at work trying to create a "special moment" between the two leaders. Sources in the government had said it could be during the walk to the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, or a joint radio address -- Maan ki Baat - which is scheduled for Tuesday.

President Obama finds both Dr King and the Mahatma as inspirational figures. During his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in 2009, asked who would be his most favourite personality, dead or alive, to have dinner with, he had said it would be Gandhi. And during his visit to Rajghat today, he had referred to both Dr King and the Mahatma while writing in the visitor's book.  

"What Dr Martin Luther King Jr said then remains true today - "the spirit of Gandhi is very much alive in India Today. And it remains a great gift to the world. May we always live in his spirit of love and peace- among all people & nations," President Obama wrote.