President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcomed Indian Prime Minister  Narendra Modi for a lavish state dinner on Thursday that included many members of the Biden family: Hunter and his wife Melissa, Naomi and her new husband Peter Neal, and daughter Ashley.

The glamorous event was overshadowed as Modi defended his regime’s record on human rights and Biden faced pressure from his own Democrats to confront the prime minister on it.

At a time the White House is seeking to counter China‘s influence in the Indo-Pacific, Biden, who campaigned for democracy over autocracy, had to balance his desire to counter Beijing with Modi’s growing iron fist. 

He’s doing that by courting Modi with a spectacular state dinner. The approximately 400 guests were dining in a glass pavilion decorated in green and saffron on a meal planned to cater to the vegetarian Modi.

Those guests include a lot of Bidens; two relatives of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; who is challenging Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination; fashion designers Reem Acra and Ralph Lauren; several lawmakers including Speaker Kevin McCarthy; but a notable lack of celebrities.

‘Great,’ Naomi Biden said of married life as she and husband Peter Neal arrived for the event. The two married in the White House last November. 

Modi’s visit – meant to shore up U.S.-Indian relations under the shadow of China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific – was overshadowed by questions about Modi’s record of clamping down on human rights and press freedom in his home country.

Modi’s day in Washington began with a lavish welcome ceremony on the South Lawn, where the drizzle didn’t dampen the enthusiasim. Around 7,000 guests were on hand to shout: ‘Modi, Modi.’

‘I’ve long believed that the relationship between the United States in India is one of them will be one of the defining relationships with 21st century,’ Biden said as he welcomed Modi to the White House in an elaborate ceremony on the South Lawn that included a military salute and the Fife and Drum Corps.

The presiden gave the prime minister a long hug.

Modi expressed his thanks for the warm welcome.

‘Friends, this grant welcome ceremony at the White House today is an honor and pride for 1.4 billion people of India. This is also an honor for more than 4 million people of Indian origin, living in the US. For this honor, I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden,’ he said.

For the dinner, the first lady brought in Chef Nina Curtis, a Sacramento, Calif., who is celebrated for her exceptional skill and creativity in plant-based cuisine, as a guest chef for the event.

‘With this official state visit, we are bringing together the world’s oldest and the world’s largest democracies,’ Jill Biden said at the preview of the dinner.

The dinner itself took place on a pavilion on the South Lawn. David Stark Design worked with the East Wing for the event, which incorporates elments of Indian and American culture in the decor.

The flowers on the tables were a saffron color and included a mix of lilies, tulips, and peonies, which are the first lady’s favorite. 

Candles of various sizes sit between the plates, offering a warm glow. 

Stark said he worked with Jill Biden on the decorations. 

‘She loves the feeling of being able to walk into the garden, her vision for being able to put together a still life on the table that feels very personal and doesn’t feel like the florist came to town but it feels like you did it yourself,’ he said.

The pavilion was decorated in greens and saffron, honoring the colors of the Indian flag. The decor will include the peacock and the bald eagle; mandala-style illustrations found in traditional Indian art; and the lotus flower.

After the food was served, violinist Joshua Bell and Penn Masala, a South Asian A Cappella Group founded by students at the University of Pennsylvania, will perform.

Modi, before the dinner festivities began, gave a joint address to Congress, held an Oval Office meeting with Biden and took questions from the press. 

When pressed on human rights allegations, Modi came out swinging and denied such a thing.

‘I’m actually really surprised that people say so,’ he started his answer, then adding, ‘there’s absolutely no discrimination neither on basis of caste, creed, or age’ or any kind of geographic location.’

Biden told reporters that he, indeed, pressed Modi on human rights issues as many Democrats had urged him to do.

‘Look, Prime Minister and I had a good discussion about democratic values,’ he said. ‘And that’s the nature of our relationship. We’re straightforward with each other and we respect each other.’

The White House also got Modi to agree to appear at a press conference, something he doesn’t do back home. 

It was the first unscripted question the Indian leader took since 2014. 

Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk