Swiss timepieces to sacred texts, the Ministry of External Affairs’ toshakhana entries show an eclectic mix of diplomatic gift culture and India’s rising soft power.
Toshakhana, a term from the Sanskrit language, refers to a vault or a treasury received by the government official, head of state, and other important dignitaries.
The Ministry of External Affairs has published the list from January to April. There are a total of 284 entries, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi topping the list as the receiver of the maximum gifts. He is followed by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.
PM Modi has received Rolex luxury watches, a set of perfume, a set of abayas, and two pieces of unstitched cloth worth Rs 2 lakh, a glass statue of Lord Ganesh worth Rs 1 lakh, and a painting worth Rs 2 lakh, among others.
Dr S Jaishankar has also been gifted luxury timepieces. One of the entries shows a Chopard wristwatch worth Rs 12.5 lakh, a jewellery set worth Rs 7.5 lakh being gifted to him. He has also been gifted a Rolex (Rs 5.75 lakh), a gift hamper of Piaget watch, four Mubkhar perfumes, and a beads necklace.
But it’s not just uber luxury that’s the power of gift diplomacy. The list also shows a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, prayer beads, and a Shiva temple memento that have been gifted to the Indian dignitaries.
Other humbler gifts include snake plush, tea set, crystal vase, metal cufflinks, glass bowl.
What is India’s Toshakhana policy?
The Toshakhana repository is governed by the Central Civil Services Conduct Rules and other gift-related regulations. According to a June 1978 gazette notification, every gift received by a person during an official visit must be deposited in the Toshakhana within 30 days of their return to India. Officials at the Toshakhana assess the value of the gift based on prevailing market rates in India. The recipient can then pay the assessed price to retain the gift. Gifts valued at Rs 1,000 or less are returned to the recipient free of charge.
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