The News Journal

The Bidens reciprocated by presenting Modi with an antique American book galley from the early 20th century, meticulously handmade. PM Narendra Modi gifts a 7.5-carat lab-grown diamond placed in a papier mache box from Kashmir, known as 'kar-e-kalamdani' to US First Lady Jill Biden. NEW DELHI: In a show of camaraderie, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden on Thursday exchanged gifts during an intimate dinner at the White House. Modi presented Biden with a meticulously handcrafted sandalwood box and a 7.5-carat lab-grown green diamond ring to US First Lady Jill Biden, elegantly encased in a Kashmiri paper mache box. “This exquisite diamond not only possesses the chemical and optical properties of naturally mined diamonds but also represents eco-friendliness, crafted using sustainable resources like solar and wind power. It symbolizes 75 years of India’s democracy and provides a conscious alternative to mined diamonds, emitting only 0.028 grams of carbon pe...

It's a rare occurrence for PM Modi who avoids unscripted moments and has presided over a steady decline in press freedom in his country. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during a news conference with President Joe Biden in the East Room of the White House.  WASHINGTON: Narendra Modi did something very unusual on Thursday at the White House, he took questions from journalists. It’s a rare occurrence for PM Modi who avoids unscripted moments and has presided over a steady decline in press freedom in his country. The news conference was more limited than the kind that U.S. presidents usually hold with foreign leaders, but even that wasn’t easy to arrange with Modi. Indian officials agreed to the event only the day before, according to a person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations. Administration officials told Modi’s advisers that taking questions from the media was a standard part of how White House state visits are ...