President Droupadi Murmu hosted a state banquet for Russian President Vladimir Putin, featuring regional Indian delicacies and a performance of Indian classical and Bollywood music.
'It's a lifetime opportunity to cook for the most high-profile table of India. It's a matter of honour for me.'
A group in Varanasi organized an 'India-Russia Friendship March' to welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his visit to India for the annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The march highlighted the strong ties between the two nations and expressed hope for strengthened cooperation and global peace.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host Russian President Vladimir Putin for a private dinner and summit, focusing on defence, trade, and geopolitical issues, including the Ukraine conflict and the impact of US sanctions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi for a two-day visit focused on strengthening ties with India, including defense cooperation and trade, amidst a changing geopolitical landscape.
Describing the Indian Ocean as a living testament to long-standing ties between the Maldives and India, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has said that the two nations have forged a resilient and unbreakable bond that extends far beyond diplomacy.
Queen Elizabeth II used her banquet speech to subtly remind the visiting US President that the international institutions set up after the World War II were designed to ensure the horrors of conflict were not repeated.
Venues for different ceremonial functions, Rashtrapati Bhavan's iconic 'Durbar Hall' and 'Ashok Hall' were on Thursday renamed 'Ganatantra Mandap' and 'Ashok Mandap', respectively.
From the US, Modi will travel to Egypt at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Modi said this 'special invitation' from President Joseph Biden and First Lady Jill Biden for a state visit is a reflection of the vigour and vitality of the partnership between the democracies.
The prime minister, who is visiting the US at the invitation of President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, will join them for the state banquet along with a number of dignitaries on Thursday.
The vegetarian delicacies served included coriander shorba, aloo tikki with palak papdi, zarkhez zameen (seasonal vegetable cooked in its juice) and dal raisina.
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Queen Elizabeth II, who died aged 96 on Thursday, was the first British monarch to accede to the throne after India's Independence from colonial rule in 1952 and admired the 'richness and diversity' of India where she made three State Visits over the course of her reign -- in 1961, 1983 and 1997.
Queen Elizabeth II made 3 State visits to India -- in 1961, 1983 and 1997.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered a triple blow following crushing defeats for his Conservative Party in two important by-elections that also prompted the resignation of the party's chairman and one of his close allies, raising another major challenge to the embattled premier's leadership.
Spectacle turned to substance on Day 2 of United States President Donald Trump's visit as he had talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the nation's capital. After a day of lapping up attention from cheering crowds and taking in India's most famous sites, including the Taj Mahal, Trump lay the groundwork for longer-term deals on trade and other matters. Take a look.
The White House crashing episode is reminiscent of an India wedding
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Dhaka on Friday on a two-day visit to Bangladesh during which he will attend the celebrations of the golden jubilee of the country's independence, the birth centenary of 'Bangabandhu' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and hold talks with his counterpart Sheikh Hasina.
'I am sure every effort will be made to showcase Rashtrapati Bhavan to President Trump.'
Donald Trump, accompanied by US First Lady Melania Trump, was received by Kovind at the forecourt of majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan along with his wife Savita.
Apart from meeting members of the Royal Family, US President Trump is expected to discuss climate change and Chinese technology firm Huawei during his talks with outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday.
Kovind has also decided to defer purchase of the Presidential Limousine which was to be used for ceremonial occasions. 'The existing resources of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the government will be shared and used for such occasions,' a communique said.
The Mumbai terror attack was discussed during the State Banquet hosted by Queen Elizabeth in the honour of President Pratibha Patil, with the British monarch paying tributes to the 'courage and steadfastness' shown by the Indian people, in the face of the appalling incident."We are mindful that in a month's time, India will mark the anniversary of the appalling terrorist attacks on Mumbai, in which so many Indians were killed," the Queen said during the Banquet.
Top moments from PM Modi's France visit
A confidential note from the Prime Minister's Office has instructed foreign office heads of missions and union ministries to not serve no non-vegetarian food at banquet-dinner or lunches at 7 Race Course Road in the prime minister's presence. The instructions are extended to banquets hosted in the PM's honour on foreign soil as well.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday amended her itinerary to delay her return from here by a few more hours after Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requested her to stay for the state banquet.
Her comments, which were aired on Wednesday, were recorded by an official royal cameraman during a Buckingham Palace garden party.
French sources say Hollande was motivated to speak out after an Indian media report revealed that the Reliance Group had part-funded a film venture by his domestic partner, French actress Julie Gayet.
"A Maputo morning, an African dawn! PM @narendramodi arrives in Mozambique for the first leg of his visit," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted on Modi's arrival in Mozambique's capital Maputo.
Sumit Agrawal says he was "deeply aggrieved" to find Kejriwal wearing sandals during a state banquet hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan against the prescribed dress code.
What goes behind the scenes for an American President's visit?
'No sovereign guarantee, no bank guarantee, no escrow account, yet a huge amount was paid as advance'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set for his second visit to the United Arab Emirates starting Friday as part of his West Asia trip which will also cover Palestine and Oman. Ahead of his visit to the UAE, the prime minister had an offbeat interview with Gulfnews (external link) during which he divulged details about people who inspire him and about his travels. Here are some key takeaways from the interview.
Bangladesh, which shares border with five Indian states, has strategic importance for India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit.
The PM will pay a two-day visit to Japan from October 28-29 to hold the annual India-Japan summit with Abe. The focus of the visit will be to further expand cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, carry out joint infrastructure projects in third countries and further boost ties key sectors like defence and trade.
US President Barack Obama on Saturday embarked on his highly anticipated three-day landmark trip to India during which the two countries will strive to make progress on climate change, defence and economic cooperation.
Modi is the first foreign leader to be invited to the palace by the Crown Prince, who appreciated the role played by Indian workers in the development of UAE as a modern nation, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.
While it took the Congress nearly a half century to earn the hatred of other political outfits, the BJP appears set to reach there in around six years, says Arun Bhatnagar, former secretary to the GoI.
No one on that glittery occasion could possibly have imagined that the Chinese were conspiring to invade India, nor could anyone have predicted that the seemingly benign Dalai Lama was plotting to flee Tibet and seek asylum in India. A fascinating excerpt from Sukanya Rahman's must-read Dancing In The Family: The Extraordinary Story Of The First Family Of Indian Classical Dance.
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