Modi, who arrived in Glasgow on Sunday night to cheers from a group of diaspora delegates, had a special interaction with members of the Indian community based in Scotland before he left for the opening ceremony of the COP26 climate summit.

A Scotland-based medic presented the Prime Minister with a bust, which was formally unveiled during the interaction. Modi also gave him his specs to be put on the bust.

“Strengthening our people-to-people bonds. Indian community members and Indologists gather in Glasgow to meet Prime Minister @narendramodi,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted soon after the meeting.

Strengthening our people-to-people bonds.

Indian community members and Indologists gather in Glasgow to meet Prime Minister @narendramodi. pic.twitter.com/dj3no1rhtJ

— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) November 1, 2021

His interaction with community leaders involved a meet and greet with around 45 Indian diaspora representatives from Glasgow and Edinburgh, including prominent medics, academics and business people.

Modi also met the Indian winner of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize, Delhi-based recycling firm Takachar founder Vidyut Mohan, and 14-year-old prize finalist from Tamil Nadu Vinisha Umashankar, inventor of a solar-powered ironing cart.

He then proceeded for the opening ceremony of day one of the World Leaders’ Summit of the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), being held at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow.