PM Modi reached Washington on Wednesday
New Delhi/Washington:
US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House today. He was joined by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his American counterpart Jake Sullivan for the intimate dinner.
As official gifts, the prime minister presented a handmade sandalwood box to President Joe Biden and a green diamond to First Lady Jill Biden.
The sandalwood box contains a silver idol of Lord Ganesha and a diya (oil lamp), while the eco-friendly 7.5-carat diamond – which was gifted in a box made of paper mache – was gifted by Kar-e- Also called Kalamdani.
The Prime Minister also gifted a copy of the first edition print of the book ‘The Ten Principles Upanishad’ to Joe Biden.
PM Modi received a handmade, antique American book galley from the Bidens.
The first couple also gifted him a vintage American camera, a hardcover book of American wildlife photography and a signed, first edition copy of the ‘Collected Poems of Robert Frost’.
PM Modi arrived in Washington today after leading a grand record-setting yoga session at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. He received a rousing reception in New York on Tuesday and held meetings with several CEOs, intellectuals and academics.
PM Modi is the third Indian to be invited for a state visit, which is seen as the highest form of expression of friendly ties and is reserved only for closest allies. A state visit involves an invitation by the head of state to his official residence.
The visit is indicative of the deepening ties between the two countries in a number of areas.