Prime Minister Modi arrived in Papua New Guinea from Japan where he attended the G7 summit.
New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hosted a luncheon for leaders attending the third India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) summit in Papua New Guinea today. The lip-smacking delicacies on the menu featured prominently in Indian cuisine and millet.
The memorable lunch included Khandvi, a popular delicacy from Gujarat, Prime Minister Modi’s home state, Malai Kofta (cottage cheese and vegetable dumplings simmered in aromatic Indian rich kofta curry), Vegetable Kolhapuri (highland mix vegetable cooked with traditional Indian onion-tomato gravy), Dal Panchmel (special lentil mix cooked Mewar style).
With the year 2023 declared the International Year of Millet, the Indian delegation made sure that the oldest foods known to man were also served to the leaders attending the summit. Rajasthani delicacy Ragi Gatta curry (dumplings of finger millet and gram flour cooked in sour gravy) and Millet biryani (vegetable biryani made in a traditional way with nutritious farmyard millet) were among the mouth-watering delights on the menu.
The inclusion of millet in the menu reflects the importance that India places on these small-seeded foods.
The UN General Assembly declared 2023 as the International Year of Millet in March 2021 at the behest of the Government of India.
The guests were also served Masala chaas (summer drink made with creamy yogurt and Indian spices).
Paan Kulfi (betel leaves flavored milk-based Indian frozen dessert) and Malpua with Rabdi (Indian sweet pancake served with sweetened reduced milk) were served as desserts during the luncheon hosted by PM Modi at the APEC house in Port Morseby.
Drinks included Masala tea, green tea, mint tea and freshly brewed PNG coffee.
Prime Minister Modi, the first Indian prime minister to arrive in Papua New Guinea, today hosted the third summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) alongside his counterpart James Marape.
He came here from Japan, where he attended the G7 Advanced Economies Summit and held bilateral meetings with several world leaders.
At the FIPIC Summit in Papua New Guinea with fellow FIPIC leaders. pic.twitter.com/nOArwGJWdc
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 22, 2023
“I am grateful that all 14 Pacific Island countries (PIC) have accepted the invitation to attend this important summit (FIPIC),” Prime Minister Modi said earlier.
FIPIC was launched during his visit to Fiji in 2014.
FPIC covers the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
