NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dark suit with its unique monogram pinstripes was auctioned Friday for a whopping sum of nearly $700,000.

Diamond merchant Lalji Patel, who like Modi is from Gujarat state, made the winning bid of Rs.43 million ($695,000).

Modi wore the suit with his monogram in dull gold pinstripes when he met with US President Barack Obama in India last month.

The suit was estimated to have cost more than Rs. 1 million ($16,000), and opposition party lawmakers criticized the prime minister for his insensitivity in wearing such an expensive suit in a country where millions live in abject poverty.