US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House today. They were joined by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his US counterpart Jake Sullivan at the intimate dinner.
As the official gifts, the Prime Minister gave a handcrafted 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 7.5 carat diamond is eco-freindly - which was gifted in a box made of paper pulp - also known as kar-e-kalamdani.
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 'Collected Poems of Robert Frost.
PM Modi reached Washington today after leading a grand record-setting yoga session at the UN headquarters in New York. He received in a rousing welcome 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, 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 a State to his official residence.
The visit indicates the deepening ties between the two nations in multiple fields.
