New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden raised a toast to better ties at the White House, both holding up glasses of ginger ale, which made for some levity in the proceedings.
"The good news for both of us is we both don't drink," President Biden said, as both raised their glasses.
President Biden went on to share an anecdote about his grandfather. "He used to say if you give a toast and you don't have any alcohol in your glass, you must use your left hand," he said, holding up his glass, indeed, in his left hand.
PM Modi, who held the glass in his right hand, chuckled. "You think I'm kidding, I'm not," President Biden said, drawing laughter from the audience.
"A toast to our partnership, to the people, to the possibilities ahead, two great friends, two great nations, and two great powers. Cheers!" said the US President.
When it was PM Modi's turn to raise a toast, he said: "I know, looking at the special menu, everybody is eager to have dinner. I know the effort made by Dr Biden in delicately curated today's menu. But there is one more thing left to do. Please join me in raising a toast. A toast to our wonderful President Biden and Dr Jill Biden. A toast to good health, prosperity and the pursuit of happiness, to liberty, equality and fraternity and to the everlasting bonds of friendship between India and the US. Cheers!"
PM Modi also remarked on his association with President Biden. "I first met you a decade ago, you still have the same dedication."
"I know your hospitality has moved your guests to sing... If I could sing, I too would have also sung before you all," he remarked to a grinning Biden.
The Prime Minister recalled that in 2014, during a White House banquet, he was on a fast for Navratri. "You were very concerned that I wasn't eating anything," he reminisced.
Before the dinner, the two leaders held a bilateral meeting with huge takeaways, and addressed a rare joint press conference before PM Modi's address to the US Congress.
After a day of speeches, PM Modi quipped: "I have addressed people 5 times today. I have lost count..."
Guests at the state dinner, the third of Biden's presidency, included Mukesh and Nita Ambani, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Alphabet Inc. CEO Sundar Pichai and Microsoft Corp. chief Satya Nadella. Flex CEO Revathi Advaithi, Sam Altman of OpenAI, filmmaker M Night Shyamalan, Billie Jean King and Ralph Lauren were also present.
The dinner featured a plant-based menu of millet, Portobello mushrooms and strawberry shortcake. For guests wanting something more, there was roast sea bass available on request.
Saffron risotto accompanied the mushroom main course, and dessert was infused with cardamom and rose syrup. Lotus flowers adorned the pavilion, along with saffron-hued floral arrangements that differed from table to table.