Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a state visit to the United States. During the high-profile visit, he is&nbsp;to be hosted for a dinner by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. The lavish dinner is being organised at the White House to honour Modi, and the menu has been carefully curated to cater to his vegetarian preference.&nbsp;

As per news agency PTI, First Lady Jill Biden revealed on Wednesday that, recognising Modi's dietary choices, she invited Chef Nina Curtis, an expert in plant-based cuisine, to design an impressive vegetarian menu.&nbsp;

<h2>What will be served at the prestigious dinner?</h2>

The State Dinner will commence with a delectable first course consisting of marinated millet, grilled corn kernel salad, compressed watermelon, and a tangy avocado sauce.&nbsp;

For the main course, guests will be served stuffed portobello mushrooms accompanied by creamy saffron-infused risotto.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/explained-obama-trump-biden-and-more-narendra-modi-in-us-over-the-years-606408">Explained: Modi in USA: How Indian PM's past trips&nbsp;unfolded</a>

During a media preview for the State Dinner, it was revealed that the guests would also have the option to include fish in their main course.

They can request sumac-roasted sea bass with lemon-dill yoghurt sauce. Also available will be crisped millet cakes, and summer squashes.

For dessert, there will be a rose and cardamom-infused strawberry shortcake.&nbsp;

The wine selection includes Stone Tower Chardonnay "Kristi" 2021, PATEL Red Blend 2019, and Domain Carneros Brut Rose.

<h2>A fusion of American cuisine and Indian flavours</h2>

Speaking to the press, California-based Chef Nina Curtis expressed her pleasure in collaborating with the First Lady to bring her culinary vision to life.&nbsp;

"It is truly a pleasure to be able to work with the First Lady and help her to bring her culinary vision to life... We have curated a menu that really showcases the best in American cuisine and also then seasoned with Indian elements and flavours."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/explained-9-years-more-than-100-trips-here-are-indian-pm-narendra-modis-foreign-visits-in-numbers-604764">Explained: 9 years, over a 100 trips. A look at Indian PM Narendra Modi's foreign tours in numbers</a>

Talking about the incorporation of marinated millets into the menu, she said: "We are also very excited that India is leading efforts to celebrate the International Year of the Millets. We have incorporated marinated millets into our menu and the Indian cuisine elements throughout the menu."

<h2>How many guests are attending the lavish dinner</h2>

Over 400 distinguished guests have been invited to attend the dinner, which will be held in a specially adorned pavilion on the South Lawn of the White House.

<h2>India's national bird serves as inspiration</h2>

During a preview of the state dinner, White House Social Secretary Carlos Elizondo emphasised the personal and warm experience each guest will have.

He said that the decor of the venue reflects the traditions and cultures of both the United States and India.&nbsp;

Notably, the inspiration for the design originated from India's national bird, the peacock. The colour scheme, comprising blues, greens and saffron, pays homage to the Indian flag as well as First Lady Jill Biden's favourite colours.

"The inspiration for our design really began with the peacock, India's national bird. From the invitations to the programmes to the pavilion, we wanted to evoke that breathtaking feeling when it extends its tail, unveiling its colourful beauty, majesty, and strength," revealed the social secretary.

"Green draping will flow from the ceiling, giving way to tables cloaked in the saturated blues and greens of Indian silks, falling onto a carpet of navy blue. The hues, not only a nod to our guests, but also to our host, as blue and green are also two of Dr (Jill) Biden's favourite colours," added Elizondo.&nbsp;

The tables will be adorned with arrangements of blooms, with the colour of the flowers mirroring the saffron of India's flag.

During the toasts, which will be delivered by the president and the prime minister, an eagle lectern will be used, a customary feature of State Dinners.&nbsp;

The backdrop behind them will showcase an iconic eagle and peacock, the national birds of both countries.&nbsp;

"For this dinner, embossed on the rich forest green backdrop behind them, we have replicated that iconic eagle and a peacock in the same style, framing the leaders with their national birds. In the peacock's talons, stalks of millets, a nod to India's successful campaign to declare 2023 the International Year of Millets."

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a state visit to the United States. During the high-profile visit, he is to be hosted for a dinner by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a state visit to the United States. During the high-profile visit, he is to be hosted for a dinner by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. The lavish dinner is being organised at the White House to honour Modi, and the menu has been carefully curated to cater to his vegetarian preference. As per news agency PTI, First Lady Jill Biden revealed on Wednesday that, recognising Modi's dietary choices, she invited Chef Nina Curtis, an expert in plant-based cuisine, to design an impressive vegetarian menu. What will be served at the prestigious dinner? The State Dinner will commence with a delectable first course consisting of marinated millet, grilled corn kernel salad, compressed watermelon, and a tangy avocado sauce. For the main course, guests will be served stuffed portobello mushrooms accompanied by creamy saffron-infused risotto. Also read | Explained: Modi in USA: How Indian PM's past trips unfolded During a media preview for the State Dinner, it was revealed that the guests would also have the option to include fish in their main course. They can request sumac-roasted sea bass with lemon-dill yoghurt sauce. Also available will be crisped millet cakes, and summer squashes. For dessert, there will be a rose and cardamom-infused strawberry shortcake. The wine selection includes Stone Tower Chardonnay "Kristi" 2021, PATEL Red Blend 2019, and Domain Carneros Brut Rose. A fusion of American cuisine and Indian flavours Speaking to the press, California-based Chef Nina Curtis expressed her pleasure in collaborating with the First Lady to bring her culinary vision to life. "It is truly a pleasure to be able to work with the First Lady and help her to bring her culinary vision to life... We have curated a menu that really showcases the best in American cuisine and also then seasoned with Indian elements and flavours." Also read | Explained: 9 years, over a 100 trips. A look at Indian PM Narendra Modi's foreign tours in numbers Talking about the incorporation of marinated millets into the menu, she said: "We are also very excited that India is leading efforts to celebrate the International Year of the Millets. We have incorporated marinated millets into our menu and the Indian cuisine elements throughout the menu." How many guests are attending the lavish dinner Over 400 distinguished guests have been invited to attend the dinner, which will be held in a specially adorned pavilion on the South Lawn of the White House. India's national bird serves as inspiration During a preview of the state dinner, White House Social Secretary Carlos Elizondo emphasised the personal and warm experience each guest will have. He said that the decor of the venue reflects the traditions and cultures of both the United States and India. Notably, the inspiration for the design originated from India's national bird, the peacock. The colour scheme, comprising blues, greens and saffron, pays homage to the Indian flag as well as First Lady Jill Biden's favourite colours. "The inspiration for our design really began with the peacock, India's national bird. From the invitations to the programmes to the pavilion, we wanted to evoke that breathtaking feeling when it extends its tail, unveiling its colourful beauty, majesty, and strength," revealed the social secretary. "Green draping will flow from the ceiling, giving way to tables cloaked in the saturated blues and greens of Indian silks, falling onto a carpet of navy blue. The hues, not only a nod to our guests, but also to our host, as blue and green are also two of Dr (Jill) Biden's favourite colours," added Elizondo. The tables will be adorned with arrangements of blooms, with the colour of the flowers mirroring the saffron of India's flag. During the toasts, which will be delivered by the president and the prime minister, an eagle lectern will be used, a customary feature of State Dinners. The backdrop behind them will showcase an iconic eagle and peacock, the national birds of both countries. "For this dinner, embossed on the rich forest green backdrop behind them, we have replicated that iconic eagle and a peacock in the same style, framing the leaders with their national birds. In the peacock's talons, stalks of millets, a nod to India's successful campaign to declare 2023 the International Year of Millets." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Vegetarian menu, peacock theme and more: All the ways Bidens' dinner honours PM Modi and India

The Biden administration will make it easier for Indians to live and work in the United States, using this week's state visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce help for skilled workers in entering or remaining in the country, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The State Department could announce as soon as Thursday that a small number of Indians and other foreign workers on H-1B visas will be able to renew their visas in the US, without having to travel abroad, one of the sources said, part of a pilot programme that could be expanded in coming years, said a Reuters report.

Indian citizens are by far the most active users of the US&nbsp;H-1B programme and made up 73% of the nearly&nbsp;442,000 H-1B workers&nbsp;in fiscal year 2022.

"We all recognize that mobility of our people is a huge asset to us," said another US&nbsp;official. "And so our goal is to approach that in a sort of multifaceted way. The State Department already has been working very hard to find creative ways to make changes to things."

A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on questions about which visa types would qualify or the timing of the pilot launch. Plans for a pilot programme were first reported by Bloomberg Law in February.

"The pilot would begin with a small number of cases with the intention to scale the initiative over the following one to two years," the spokesperson said, while declining to define small.

The steps could change and are not finalized until they are announced. The White House declined to comment.

Each year, the US&nbsp;government makes 65,000 H-1B visas available to companies seeking skilled foreign workers, along with an additional 20,000 visas for workers with advanced degrees. The visas last for three years and can be renewed for another three years.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/modi-pitches-india-us-partnership-for-sustainable-and-inclusive-global-growth-607126">Modi pitches India-US partnership for sustainable and inclusive global growth</a>

The companies using the most H-1B workers in recent years include the Indian-based Infosys&nbsp;and Tata Consultancy Services&nbsp;as well as Amazon, Alphabet&nbsp;and Meta&nbsp;in the US, according to US&nbsp;government data.

The ability for some of the temporary foreign workers to renew visas in the US&nbsp;would free up resources for visa interviews in consulates abroad, the spokesperson said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-modi-to-stay-at-willard-intercontinental-also-known-as-residents-of-presidents-heres-what-we-know-607134">PM Modi to stay at Willard InterContinental, also known as ‘Residents of Presidents’. Here's what we know</a>

The pilot programme would also include some workers with L-1 visas, which are available to people transferring within a company to a position in the U.S., one of the sources said.

A separate initiative to clear a backlog of visa applications at U.S. embassies in India is finally showing signs of progress, according to another one of those sources, and is expected to be figure into the discussions between the two countries' delegations in Washington this week.

India has for long had concerns with the difficulty its citizens face in receiving visas to live in the United States, including technology industry workers. More than 10 million jobs stood open in the United States at the end of April, according to the Labor Department.

Some H-1B visa holders in the U.S. have been among the&nbsp;thousands of tech workers&nbsp;laid off this year, sending them scrambling to find new employers within a 60-day "grace period" or return to their home country.

The Biden administration has spent months working to improve visa access for Indians, trying to get around the lack of political will in Congress to comprehensively reform US&nbsp;immigration policy. President Joe Biden wants to knit together the world's two largest democracies, partly in a bid to better compete with China.

U.S. visa services are still attempting to clear a backlog after Washington halted almost all visa processing worldwide in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The visa backlog has led to some families being separated for extended periods of time, with some taking to social media to lament their situation.

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The Biden administration will make it easier for Indians to live and work in the United States, using this week's state visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce help for skilled workers in entering or remaining in the country, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The Biden administration will make it easier for Indians to live and work in the United States, using this week's state visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce help for skilled workers in entering or remaining in the country, according to three people familiar with the matter. The State Department could announce as soon as Thursday that a small number of Indians and other foreign workers on H-1B visas will be able to renew their visas in the US, without having to travel abroad, one of the sources said, part of a pilot programme that could be expanded in coming years, said a Reuters report. Indian citizens are by far the most active users of the US H-1B programme and made up 73% of the nearly 442,000 H-1B workers in fiscal year 2022. "We all recognize that mobility of our people is a huge asset to us," said another US official. "And so our goal is to approach that in a sort of multifaceted way. The State Department already has been working very hard to find creative ways to make changes to things." A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on questions about which visa types would qualify or the timing of the pilot launch. Plans for a pilot programme were first reported by Bloomberg Law in February. "The pilot would begin with a small number of cases with the intention to scale the initiative over the following one to two years," the spokesperson said, while declining to define small. The steps could change and are not finalized until they are announced. The White House declined to comment. Each year, the US government makes 65,000 H-1B visas available to companies seeking skilled foreign workers, along with an additional 20,000 visas for workers with advanced degrees. The visas last for three years and can be renewed for another three years. Also read | Modi pitches India-US partnership for sustainable and inclusive global growth The companies using the most H-1B workers in recent years include the Indian-based Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services as well as Amazon, Alphabet and Meta in the US, according to US government data. The ability for some of the temporary foreign workers to renew visas in the US would free up resources for visa interviews in consulates abroad, the spokesperson said. Also read | PM Modi to stay at Willard InterContinental, also known as ‘Residents of Presidents’. Here's what we know The pilot programme would also include some workers with L-1 visas, which are available to people transferring within a company to a position in the U.S., one of the sources said. A separate initiative to clear a backlog of visa applications at U.S. embassies in India is finally showing signs of progress, according to another one of those sources, and is expected to be figure into the discussions between the two countries' delegations in Washington this week. India has for long had concerns with the difficulty its citizens face in receiving visas to live in the United States, including technology industry workers. More than 10 million jobs stood open in the United States at the end of April, according to the Labor Department. Some H-1B visa holders in the U.S. have been among the thousands of tech workers laid off this year, sending them scrambling to find new employers within a 60-day "grace period" or return to their home country. The Biden administration has spent months working to improve visa access for Indians, trying to get around the lack of political will in Congress to comprehensively reform US immigration policy. President Joe Biden wants to knit together the world's two largest democracies, partly in a bid to better compete with China. U.S. visa services are still attempting to clear a backlog after Washington halted almost all visa processing worldwide in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The visa backlog has led to some families being separated for extended periods of time, with some taking to social media to lament their situation. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US planning new H-1B visa rule to ease living, working for skilled Indian workers as PM Modi visits

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his second day of state visit to the United States, pitched India as the 'world's biggest youth factory' consisting of a 'pipeline of talent' and hence India-US partnership will serve as the driving engine for 'sustainable and inclusive global growth'.&nbsp;

Modi gave the remarks at National Science Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia earlier on June 22.

"To maintain a growth momentum, India and the US need a pipeline of talent. On one hand, the US has top-class educational institutions and advanced technologies.&nbsp;On the other hand, India has the world's biggest youth factory. That is why, I believe that the India-US partnership will prove to be the engine of sustainable and inclusive global growth," he added, while sitting besides the First Lady of the United States Jill Biden.&nbsp;

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"To maintain growth momentum, India and the US need a pipeline of talent... India-US partnership will prove to be the engine of sustainable &amp; inclusive global growth," says Indian Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> at National Science Foundation in Virginia 
 
Courtesy: ANI<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaUSTies?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaUSTies</a> <a href="https://t.co/ACC2VML9OP">pic.twitter.com/ACC2VML9OP</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1671686756197101569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-modi-reaches-white-house-for-state-dinner-hosted-by-joe-biden-and-first-lady-jill-biden-607122">PM Modi reaches White House for state dinner hosted by Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden</a>

Silicon Valley, the part of San Francisco —&nbsp;which is among the wealthiest geographical hotspots of the world with $128,308 per capita income — is seen to be powered by Indian talent, with Indian origin executives leading some of the world's biggest companies. 
 
As per a Boston University research, over 1,000 people of Indian origin have founded Silicon Valley companies, and those companies have a total value of "more than $40 billion".

"40% of all start-up companies include Indian Americans on staff," the report said.

<h2>Education a cornerstone of India-US bond: Jill Biden</h2>

First lady Jill Biden said that education is a cornerstone of the bond between India and the United States, "one we hope to keep building and strengthening with this visit", she added.

"Our universities are partnering together, leading research, and creating apprenticeships and internships that span the ocean," Jill Biden said further.&nbsp;

Also watch | PM Modi's US visit: PM Modi to become the first Indian PM to address US Congress twice

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"Working side by side, our nations can create a safer, healthier, more prosperous future for everyone," the first lady added, furthering Modi's pitch for India-US ties for&nbsp;driving global growth.

According to&nbsp;Open Doors Report 2022, in the last one decade, the number of Indian students choosing to study in the United States has more than doubled. India's share in the total number of international students in the US has gone up from 11.8 per cent to 21 per cent.

In absolute numbers, nearly 200,000 Indian&nbsp;students&nbsp;were pursuing higher education in the US in 2021-22 against 167,582 in 2020-21, a 19 per cent annual increase. In 2012-13, there were 96,654 Indian students in higher education in the US.

Prime Minister&nbsp;Modi has been to the United States five times since becoming the prime minister in 2014. But the current visit is his first state visit to the&nbsp;US.

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India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his second day of state visit to the United States, pitched India as the 'world's biggest youth factory' consisting of a 'pipeline of talent' and hence India-US partnership will serve as the driving engine for 'sustainable and inclusive global growth'.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his second day of state visit to the United States, pitched India as the 'world's biggest youth factory' consisting of a 'pipeline of talent' and hence India-US partnership will serve as the driving engine for 'sustainable and inclusive global growth'. Modi gave the remarks at National Science Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia earlier on June 22. "To maintain a growth momentum, India and the US need a pipeline of talent. On one hand, the US has top-class educational institutions and advanced technologies. On the other hand, India has the world's biggest youth factory. That is why, I believe that the India-US partnership will prove to be the engine of sustainable and inclusive global growth," he added, while sitting besides the First Lady of the United States Jill Biden. "To maintain growth momentum, India and the US need a pipeline of talent... India-US partnership will prove to be the engine of sustainable & inclusive global growth," says Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi at National Science Foundation in Virginia Courtesy: ANI#IndiaUSTies pic.twitter.com/ACC2VML9OP — WION (@WIONews) June 22, 2023 × Also read | PM Modi reaches White House for state dinner hosted by Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden Silicon Valley, the part of San Francisco — which is among the wealthiest geographical hotspots of the world with $128,308 per capita income — is seen to be powered by Indian talent, with Indian origin executives leading some of the world's biggest companies. As per a Boston University research, over 1,000 people of Indian origin have founded Silicon Valley companies, and those companies have a total value of "more than $40 billion". "40% of all start-up companies include Indian Americans on staff," the report said. Education a cornerstone of India-US bond: Jill Biden First lady Jill Biden said that education is a cornerstone of the bond between India and the United States, "one we hope to keep building and strengthening with this visit", she added. "Our universities are partnering together, leading research, and creating apprenticeships and internships that span the ocean," Jill Biden said further. Also watch | PM Modi's US visit: PM Modi to become the first Indian PM to address US Congress twice × "Working side by side, our nations can create a safer, healthier, more prosperous future for everyone," the first lady added, furthering Modi's pitch for India-US ties for driving global growth. According to Open Doors Report 2022, in the last one decade, the number of Indian students choosing to study in the United States has more than doubled. India's share in the total number of international students in the US has gone up from 11.8 per cent to 21 per cent. In absolute numbers, nearly 200,000 Indian students were pursuing higher education in the US in 2021-22 against 167,582 in 2020-21, a 19 per cent annual increase. In 2012-13, there were 96,654 Indian students in higher education in the US. Prime Minister Modi has been to the United States five times since becoming the prime minister in 2014. But the current visit is his first state visit to the US. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Modi: India-US partnership to be driving engine for ‘sustainable and inclusive global growth’