Justin Trudeau feels Modi's hug: 10 times Modi proved he is the king of embrace

If the Grand Collar is Palestine’s highest honour for foreign dignitaries, which was recently conferred on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in India it is Modi’s warm embrace. The clasp is so coveted that it was sorely missed so far in Canada PM Justin Trudeau’s week-long India visit. Modi’s silence on Twitter also spread panic that Trudeau will be deprived of the signature bear hug. But the moment Modi took to Twitter to announce that he would meet Trudeau on Friday, there were reports in international media like “Suspence over: Indian PM Narendra Modi will hug Canadian PM Justin Trudeau”.

And then this happened.

Better-late-than-never hug

What starts like this, must end with this reassuring clasp.

Happy hug

According to international media, Modi's bear-hug is the only thing that can match up to US President Donald Trump's "awkward handshakes", which linger for a longer time than the other person expects. A 2016-report of the Washington Post said that Modi has become well-known for his vigorous hugs and handshakes with other world leaders, displaying a tactile familiarity that often seems to take his counterparts by surprise. "...as it often is with Modi, much of the public attention will probably be placed on something else entirely: the Indian prime minister's impressively awkward physicality," it said.

And that's how Modi impressed the world since 2014. Some world leaders are lucky to have got repeated hugs. 

The two-timing hug

Soon after hosting Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in India, PM Modi was seen embracing Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas. Modi also became the first Indian prime minister to visit the occupied West Bank as part of a Middle East tour. 

Long-time-no-see hug

In January 2018, Benjamin Netanyahu became the first Israeli PM to visit India in more than a decade. He was also the chief guest at the Republic Day parade. The occasion called for a hug, especially as the two PMs share a cordial relationship. PM Modi refers to his Israeli counterpart as "my friend Bibi", and the Israeli PM refers to Modi as "Narendra". The last time they met each other was when Modi visited Israel in June 2017. 

I-love-your-jokes hug

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was greeted with this hug when he visited India during the India-Japan Annual Summit held in Gandhinagar, in September last year. 

Hug for a better climate

Frend president Emmanuel Macron was newly elected at the time PM Modi undertook a Europe tour last year in June. The leaders discussed issues related to terrorism and climate, and the hug took place as Modi was leaving Paris.

Will-eclipse-you hug

Not only in India! In Portugal too, PM Modi knew where the camera was and thus eclipsed Portuguese counterpart Antonio Costa at the Necessidades Palace.

Hug like a guest

Last year, India became a member of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which is a political, economic, and military bloc founded in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It was at the SCO summit that the duo exchanged a lukewarm hug. 

The host hug

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was the chief guest at the 2017 Republic Day parade. And PM Modi showed him how to hug like a host.

Hug that never was

During the Doklam standoff, Modi and China President Xi Jinping met at an informal meeting of BRICS nations on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, and there was no hug.

Also read: 9 times Modi taught the world to hug and go viral