A USD 20,000 diamond presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to US First Lady Jill Biden was the most expensive gift given by any world leader to the Biden family in 2023, the US State Department has said here.
The 7.5 carat eco-friendly, lab-grown diamond was gifted by Modi in June 2023 at a private dinner at the White House during his state visit on an invitation by President Joe Biden.
According to the exchange rate then, the diamond’s cost was about Rs 16 lakh.
Modi gifted Biden a ‘Carved Sandalwood Box,’ a book titled ‘The Ten Principal Upanishads,’ a statue, and an oil lamp, valued together at an estimated USD 6,232.00.
While President Biden’s gifts have been transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the First Lady’s diamond has been retained ‘For Official Use in the East Wing,’ said the annual accounting published by the State Department on Thursday.
The 7.5 carat diamond was manufactured in a factory in Gujarat’s Surat by using a technology, which recreates the same process that takes place beneath the earth in formation of the natural diamonds, according to Smit Patel, convenor of the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).
“The Kohinoor was a Type Two, a pure diamond. This diamond (gifted by PM) is 7.5 carat, which represents the 75 years of Independence. Also, this diamond was created using green energy, so that is also a step towards showing that India is moving towards green and renewable energy — a goal espoused by PM Modi himself,” Patel had said in 2023.
Earlier in November 2022, Modi had gifted a painting valued at US 1,000 to Biden, the US State Department records show.
Other gifts that Modi gave in the US include a ‘Wall Hanging’ valued at an estimated US 850 to Kurt Campbell, the Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs; a ‘Jali Work Box’ with an estimated value of USD 125 to Mitch McConnell, a US Senator, and a ‘Camel Bone Box’ valued at an estimated USD 125 to Charles E Schumer, another US Senator, the records showed.
The First Lady’s second costliest gift was a ‘Steel Fragment Forget-Me-Not Flower Brooch’ with an estimated cost of USD 14,063 from Oksana Markarova, Ambassador of Ukraine to the US in July 2023, it added.
The US president also received a number of expensive presents, including a commemorative photo album valued at USD 7,100 from South Korea’s recently impeached President Suk Yeol Yoon, a USD 3,495 statue of Mongolian warriors from the Mongolian prime minister, a USD 3,300 silver bowl from the sultan of Brunei, a USD 3,160 sterling silver tray from the president of Israel, and a collage worth USD 2,400 from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Federal law requires executive branch officials to declare gifts they receive from foreign leaders and counterparts that have an estimated value of more than USD 480.
According to the State Department’s Office of Protocol, which compiles the list that will be published in Friday’s edition of the Federal Register, several employees of the CIA reported receiving lavish gifts of watches, perfume and jewellery, nearly all of which were destroyed. Of the gifts destroyed, they were worth more than USD 1,32,000 combined.
CIA Director William Burns received a USD 18,000 astrograph, which is a telescope and astrological camera, from a foreign source whose identity is classified. That is being transferred to the General Services Administration. But Burns reported receiving and destroying an USD 11,000 Omega watch, while numerous others did the same with luxury timepieces, AP added.
Below the rank of director, the CIA employees who reported gifts are not identified, but one of them logged an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watch, a ladies Omega Constellation watch, a diamond necklace, earring bracelet, and a ring that were valued together at USD 65,100.
All of those were destroyed, according to the report, as was a USD 30,000 women’s jewellery set from the Libyan jeweller Al Grew consisting of a necklace, bracelet, ring and earrings received by another CIA employee.
Another CIA employee reported receiving a men’s Yacht Master II Rolex Oyster Perpetual watch worth USD 18,700, another reported getting a lady’s Rolex Oyster Datejust watch valued at USD 12,500, and one other got a USD 7,450 Rolex Air King watch. All three of the watches were destroyed, according to the list.
Another employee reported receiving a collection of pricey Amouage Perfume worth USD 10,670, the destruction of which is pending, AP said quoting the report. (PTI)
