White House Prepares for Indian Prime Minister Modi’s State Visit

Preparations are underway at the White House as President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden prepare to welcome India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington for an official state visit on Thursday. The visit will include a state dinner in the evening, where the two countries will reaffirm their close ties.

There has been close attention to diplomatic detail in advance of Thursday’s state dinner, including catering to the guest’s dietary restrictions. Nina Curtis, a plant-based chef from Sacramento, California, will be the dinner’s guest chef, working with White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford and White House Executive Pastry Chef Susie Morrison to develop the menu.

Modi is a vegetarian and “the First Lady selected Chef Curtis for her experience with plant-based cuisine,” according to a White House official. Grammy Award-winning American violinist and conductor Joshua Bell will provide the evening’s entertainment.

Pomp and Circumstance for Modi’s Visit

The state dinner is one element of an elaborate visit for the prime minister, which comes amid some criticism over Modi’s human rights record. State dinners are “a courtesy, an expression of goodwill, and a way of extending hospitality,” as well as “an event that also showcases global power and influence,” according to former White House curator Betty Monkman.

This will mark the third state dinner of the Biden administration after the Bidens hosted French President Emmanuel Macron in December and South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol in April.

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