Zillar Barta Desk ,Belgian : Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever arrived in India with a unique diplomatic gift for Prime Minister Narendra Modi—a miniature replica of Delhi’s iconic India Gate made entirely from Belgian chocolate. However, the unusual gift could not survive the journey and melted before it could be presented to Modi.
Speaking at a joint press conference in New Delhi on September 3, De Wever revealed the mishap with a touch of humour. He said he had planned to present Modi with a sculpture made from “the best Belgian chocolates,” but unlike the real India Gate, the chocolate version did not make it through the journey intact. He quipped that chocolate is “excellent for diplomacy, but not excellent for diplomatic travel.”
Despite the melted gift, the gesture carried a deeper message. De Wever said India Gate was deliberately chosen as a symbol of the shared history and future partnership between India and Belgium. The chocolate replica featured an enlarged section of the monument’s inscription honouring Indian soldiers who fought and died in Flanders during the First World War.
The Belgian Prime Minister assured that a backup version of the chocolate sculpture remains in Belgium and promised to send it to PM Modi in one piece. He also described India as an increasingly important economic, technological and geopolitical partner for Belgium.
De Wever’s visit marked the first visit to India by a Belgian Prime Minister in 20 years, adding further significance to the diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
