Modi’s $20k Diamond Gift to Jil Biden Finds Treasured Display
PM Narendra Modi with Joe and Jil Biden Image credit X.com
Indian Leader Tops List with Costly Gifts to Biden Couple
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, January 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s gift to Jil Biden, wife of the US President Joe Biden, is among the only two gifted items retained at the White House. All other gifts have been transferred to the designated National Archive and other agencies.
The Prime Minister on his official visit to Washington had presented a 7.5 carat diamond to Jil Biden. The Federal Register of the US government said in a report that the Indian prime minister presented a 7.5 carat lab diamond on June 22, 2023. “The estimated value of the gift is $20,000, which has been retained for official use in the East Wing of the White House,” stated the report of the department.
The diamond gift was the costliest present by any of the foreign leaders. Jil Biden was also gifted the second costliest gift. Oksana Markarova, ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, presented Jil Biden a steel fragment ‘ForgetMe-Not Flower Brooch’, with an estimated value of $14,063. This gift has, however, not been retained for display at the East Wing and transferred to the National Archives.
The only other gift to be retained for display was a calligraphy ‘The Ship in the Sky’, which was also presented to Jil Biden Kishida Yuko, spouse of the Prime Minister of Japan. The estimated cost of the gift is $2500.
Modi’s two gifts to the outgoing US President are also listed in the report. The Prime Minister had given a carved sandalwood box, book titled ‘The Ten Principal Upanishads’, a statue, and an oil lamp, which were valued at $6,232. They have been transferred to the National Archive.
Modi had also gifted Joe Biden a painting in 2022 which was valued at $1,000. This has also been transferred to the National Archive.
Chinese President Xi Jinping also finds mention in the repot for his gift. Xi gifted ‘Blooming Roses’ to Jil Biden, which was valued at $485.
The visiting foreign leaders present gifts to the first couple of the US. The cost of gifts is mostly around $500. There are a few exceptions in the list when the cost of the gifts presented to either of the Bidens exceed $5000. The $20,000 7.5 carat diamond remains the costliest gift for Jil Biden.
The gifts are accepted with explanation that “non-acceptance would cause embarrassment to donor and US government”. Joe Biden also received a commemorative photo album, with an estimated value of $7,100 from former South Korean President Suk Yeol Yoon, who is now facing arrest after his impeachment for imposing the martial law in the country.
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