Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met his Swedish counterpart Magdalena Andersson in the Danish capital Copenhagen and the two leaders discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties and the progress in the Joint Action Plan.
Prime Minister Modi, as a goodwill gesture, gifted a Pashmina stole to Andersson.
Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh tweeted: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a Pashmina stole in a Papier Mache box from Jammu and Kashmir to Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson”.
The stole was packed in a Papier Mache box from J&K. Kashmiri Pashmina stoles have been treasured for their rare material, exquisite craftsmanship, and reminiscent designs since time immemorial.
Click here to watch video
Pashmina is an exclusive art of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir which is known for producing one of the finest Pashmina stoles. The wool used for making Pashmina stoles comes from a special breed of Kashmiri goat found in the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas.
The box in which the stole was packed is a Kashmir Papier Mache box which is handcrafted and coloured. The piece is hand-painted in a floral design depicting the flora and fauna of the Kashmir valley. The design used in this piece is an intricate pattern drawn with a fine thin brush.
Water-based colours and natural pigments have been used in this piece. Pure gold foil and paint have been used in the design which imparts a royal look to the piece. Finally, the piece is coated with lacquer which protects it from water and gives extra durability.
Modi had a “wonderful meeting” with Swedish counterpart Magdalena Andersson during which they discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties and the progress in the Joint Action Plan.
“We discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in key sectors like security, IT, research and innovation. Strong ties between our nations will benefit our people,” Modi tweeted.
During the meeting, the two leaders took stock of the progress in the Joint Action Plan and also appreciated the expanding scope of the jointly launched Lead IT initiative, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
During the 2018 visit of Prime Minister Modi to Sweden, the two sides adopted a wide-ranging Joint Action Plan to take forward a wide range of initiatives in defence, trade and investment, renewable energy, smart cities, women’s skill development, space and science and healthcare etc.