DC Diary: Chai pe charcha, Wishes for Hillary

Modi gave evidence of some sharp diplomacy during his meeting with Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton in New York.

Chai pe charcha
The Prime Minister has added a special personal touch in selecting gifts for all the important politicians and dignitaries he meets during his US trip. To the 16 CEOs of top American corporations with whom he had a breakfast meeting on Monday, he handed over a specially-packed hamper of select Indian teas. His signature was printed in gold on the pack, which each CEO could be seen carrying out of the New York Palace Hotel.

Wishes for Hillary

Narendra Modi gave evidence of some sharp diplomacy during his meeting with Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton in New York. Besides congratulating them on becoming grandparents, the Prime Minister had a loaded send-off for Hillary, who is expected to run for President. “I wish you all the best in your political journey,” he said, to which the former First Lady laughed out loud.

Piano and flowers

The PM’s White House dinner with President Barack Obama had a special menu and live piano performance. At Blair House across the road, where the PM is staying, all floral arrangements had been made in the colours of the Indian flag: orange, white and green.

Hot and cold

Diplomats accompanying the PM have been frequently mentioning the fact that he is only sipping lukewarm water during his nine-day Navaratri fast. Senior Special Protection Group officials said they have been carrying two flasks, one filled with hot water and the other with cold, to serve the PM a perfect mix whenever he asks.

Ritu Sarin

Ritu Sarin is Executive Editor (News and Investigations) at The Indian Express group. Her areas of specialisation include internal security, money laundering and corruption. Sarin is one of India’s most renowned reporters and has a career in journalism of over four decades. She is a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) since 1999 and since early 2023, a member of its Board of Directors. She has also been a founder member of the ICIJ Network Committee (INC). She has, to begin with, alone, and later led teams which have worked on ICIJ’s Offshore Leaks, Swiss Leaks, the Pulitzer Prize winning Panama Papers, Paradise Papers, Implant Files, Fincen Files, Pandora Papers, the Uber Files and Deforestation Inc. She has conducted investigative journalism workshops and addressed investigative journalism conferences with a specialisation on collaborative journalism in several countries. ... Read More

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Narendra Modi