Inside Hyderabad House: Delhi’s Rs 170 Crore Palace Hosting the 2025 Modi–Putin Summit

Hyderabad House, the landmark palace near India Gate, commissioned almost a century ago by the last Nizam of Hyderabad, steps back into global focus as Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosts President Vladimir Putin for the 2025 summit here. The residence, valued today at an estimated one hundred and seventy crore rupees, has long been a stage for India’s most significant diplomatic engagements.

Built in the late 1920s as a private expression of power and cultivated taste, Hyderabad House rose from Mir Osman Ali Khan’s desire for a residence that would command presence in the emerging capital. He turned to Edwin Lutyens to shape a home worthy of its setting, and more than eight acres were secured to give the architect the space to create a structure defined by proportion, dignity, and quiet grandeur.

Contemporary records place the construction cost at around two hundred thousand pounds, a sum that aligns with today’s valuation of approximately one hundred and seventy crore rupees. The house remained with the Nizam’s family in the years after independence before moving into government stewardship, and in 1974, it assumed its role as a state guest house that continues to frame India’s most significant diplomatic moments.

Architecture and Design Features

Lutyens designed the residence with a distinctive butterfly plan arranged around a domed central hall. The symmetrical wings, sweeping marble staircases, and broad verandahs define its architectural character. The original thirty-six rooms, including Zenana quarters, were distributed across high ceilings, arched corridors, and courtyards intended to hold formal gatherings and private meetings with equal ease.

Inside, the interiors were furnished with Burmese teak, Persian and Iraqi carpets, and lighting fixtures imported from New York. The circular marble foyer and the upper gallery remain among its most recognisable spaces, along with the vast dining hall designed for up to five hundred guests. Many of the original paintings commissioned from Abdul Rahman Chughtai continue to be part of the collection.

Hyderabad House as India’s Modern Diplomatic Venue

Hyderabad House was rarely used by the Nizam, which contributed to the preservation of its architectural detailing. As the building moved under government ownership, its purpose shifted from private residence to official venue. By the mid-1970s, it had become one of India’s principal sites for state visits, bilateral negotiations, and international summits.

Today, the palace functions as a controlled and highly secure diplomatic setting. Its high-ceilinged halls lead out to carefully maintained courtyards and gardens designed for delegation movements, ceremonial welcomes, and press briefings. The structure retains its original three-car garage, long entry driveway, and symmetrical façade, all of which contribute to its ceremonial presence.