Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Europe trip has been in the headlines, mainly because of the cloud cast by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Along with serious discussions, PM Modi also made a soft power push. He went laden with special gifts representing various parts of India.
For the Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Store, PM Modi took a 'dhaal' or shield with Koftgiri artwork. In Rajasthan, Koftgiri has traditionally been used to decorate weapons and armour. It is inlay work done with gold and silver wires.
To Sanna Marin, the Prime Minister of Finland, PM Modi gifted a brass Tree of Life from Rajasthan. It is a hand-crafted wall decorative art piece.
PM Modi gifted a silver Meenakari bird figurine to Mary, the Crown Princess of Denmark. It is from the Prime Minister's own Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi.
For Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, PM Modi took a Rogan painting. Rogan is cloth printing art practiced in Kutch, Gujarat, which is Modi's home state.
To Crown Prince Fredrik of Denmark, the Indian premier gifted a Dokra boat from Chhattisgarh. Dokra is non-ferrous metal casting using lost wax casting technique. It is claimed to be a 4,000-year-old practice.
PM Modi gifted a Pashmina stole in a papier mache box to Magdalena Andersson the Prime Minister of Sweden. Kashmiri is famous for Pashmina stoles and shawls. Pashmina comes from a special breed of goats.
PM Modi gifted a wall hanging with Kutch embroidery to Mette Frederiksen, the Prime Minister of Denmark.