“He eats almost nothing—one roti with vegetable and two spoons of curd,” says Deputy Director of Hospitality and Protocol, Manzoor Ahmad, who has served the PM during his Ladakh trip. In the evening, Singh will be served “tea with no sugar” along with the “Marie” biscuits, and the menu for dinner will not substantially differ from that of the lunch.

While the PM has to be in “close proximity” to NSA M K Narayan and other officials from his office, the J-K Government has been instructed that “no intercom should ring in the PM’s suite”. There must be two hotline connections, one direct BSNL line, a fax machine, a computer with a broadband connection, a laser printer, a photo-copier and a shredder in his suite. There is also a direction about Prime Minister Singh’s bed. “It should be a hard mattress with a cotton- rich bed spread,” the note says. The television set in the PM’s room requires five news channels along with other popular channels. According to the note, there must be a music system and an electric treadmill available for the PM.