In a major development, France's high-end dinner with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and VVIP guests cost the French nation almost Rs 4 crore. Yes! you heard it right. The Cour des Comptes, France’s top audit court, recently released a yearly audit report of the Élysée Palace’s (French President’s office) budget revealing that French President Emmanual Macron reportedly a huge €412,000 (Rs 3.72 crore) on the state dinner of which €172,922 (Rs. 1.56 crore) was on catering and €36,447 (Rs. 32 lakh) on drinks.
In July 2023, during PM Modi's official visit to France, French President Emmanuel Macron played host by organising a banquet dinner at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The event took place on France's national holiday, and over 200 guests gathered to honour PM Modi.
Now, the question arises why did hosting PM Modi for a state dinner cost so much for France & what was on the menu?
PM Modi-Emmanuel Macron's State Dinner in France
PM Modi and 200 other guests were served vegetarian food at the Louvre Museum. Furthermore, President Macron's banquet for PM Modi included several notable elements. One distinctive touch was the thread used for the menu, which featured the colors of the Indian tricolor, deviating from the customary practice of using only French colors. Additionally, the menu itself was thoughtfully crafted to offer a specially curated spread of vegetarian delicacies, adding a unique touch to the evening's dining experience.
For the unversed, Paris' Louvre Museum, which is home to many famous artworks including the Mona Lisa, usually witnesses heavy footfall on Bastille Day. However, it was closed in 2023 the banquet dinner for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi & Macron's dinner was attended by many VVIPs including actor R Madhavan, BoAT Co-Founder Aman Gupta, Grammy-winner Ricky Kej, etc.
It is pertinent to mention here that the exact names of dishes have not been revealed that were served during Modi & Macron's dinner.
Notably, the report also highlighted that France spent almost Rs 4 crore on King Charles' arrival.