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The Belgian Embassy in India on Friday shared a photograph of a unique gift that Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever had planned to present to Prime Minister Narendra Modia replica of the iconic India Gate crafted entirely from fine Belgian chocolate- during his official visit to the country.
The embassy shared the photograph in a post on X, describing it as the "viral India Gate made of chocolate" and noting that the sweet creation was unfortunately damaged during its journey to India. "The viral India Gate made of chocolate you were wondering about... PM Bart De Wever had hoped to present this sweet Belgian creation to PM Narendra Modi. Unfortunately, it broke! But PM is determined that it finds its way to PM Modi & India next time!" the Embassy of Belgium in India said in the post. De Wever himself spoke about the sweet diplomatic gift during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Modi following their meeting at Hyderabad House in the national capital on Thursday. "I had actually planned to present to Prime Minister Modi a fitting gift a sculpture of India Gate entirely made out of the best Belgian chocolates," De Wever said. However, the chocolate replica could not withstand the journey to India. "But, unlike the real India Gate, which has stood for almost a century, the chocolate version didnt even survive the journey to India," the Belgian Prime Minister said, adding with a touch of humour, "Chocolate is excellent for diplomacy, but not excellent for diplomatic travel, we noticed." De Wever assured that the gift would eventually make its way to Prime Minister Modi, saying Belgium had a backup sculpture. "But no worries, we have a back-up in Belgium, and one way or another, I will get it to Prime Minister Modi in one piece. Thats an ambition I leave India with today," he said. The choice of India Gate was deliberate, with De Wever explaining that the monument represents the shared history and future partnership between India and Belgium. He said the chocolate sculpture featured an enlarged portion of the inscription commemorating Indian soldiers who fought and died in Flanders Fields during the First World War. "We chose India Gate deliberately, as a symbol whose meaning speaks directly to our shared history and future partnership," De Wever said. "On the sculpture, the chocolate version, we enlarged a part of the inscription that commemorates Indian soldiers who fought and fell in Flanders Fields during the First World War," he added. Highlighting the historical connection between the two countries, the Belgian Prime Minister said Indian soldiers had travelled thousands of miles to fight on Belgian soil more than a century ago. "We have not forgotten their courage and their sacrifice. It is a part of our history and of our shared history, and it reminds us that peace can never be taken for granted," he said. The chocolate India Gate thus became one of the major highlights of De Wever's visit to India, combining Belgian craftsmanship with a monument deeply associated with India's history and the countries' shared wartime legacy. Following his meeting with PM Modi, De Wever also praised India's transformation and modernisation, particularly under the leadership of the Indian Prime Minister. While the original India Gate has endured for nearly a century, its chocolate replica proved considerably less resilient but, as De Wever indicated, the diplomatic dessert may yet get a second chance to reach its intended destination. (ANI)
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