Modi's China charm offensive

That Narendra Modi is uncomfortable with the idea of Delhi, which he has repeatedly called himself an outsider to, was reiterated yet again on Tuesday, when he escorted Chinese President Xi Jinping to the sights and sounds of Ahmedabad.

It ticked off several themes that Modi has been articulating since he was sworn in as prime minister in May.

He wants to take the government out of Delhi to the states: Why should everything be driven from Delhi has been his constant refrain? He talked about cooperative federalism in his first speech in Parliament after becoming prime minister. He mentioned it again in his August 15 speech from Red Fort. Just as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made Kyoto the gateway to Japan, Modi made Ahmedabad the first port of call for Chinese President Xi Jinping.

He loves a spectacle: The spectacle of Vibrant Gujarat Summit put him on the map of industry around the world. Modi has never lost an opportunity since to make an occasion of every event. So there were dancers on the Sabarmati riverfront, a Taj Mahal-like photo-op on a jhoola for Xi and his fashionable First Lady Peng Liyuan, and a traditional chhatri with bells which Xi dutifully shook, upon being instructed to do so by Modi. Those unkind to him – like LK Advani – would like to describe this as an offshoot of his event management skills. Others would like to see it as a demonstration of his creativity.

He loves to connect his love of history with Vadnagar: Modi has often emphasised how he comes from a historic town, Vadnagar. He tweeted the previous day how Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang had travelled to Vadnagar and Vallabi in 641 AD, and how the ties between the two nations were steeped in Buddhism. Clearly he was borrowing from his friend Abe, who hosted him at Toji temple.

He likes the personal touch: From Nawaz Sharif to Abe to Xi, he has gone for the personal touch. With Sharif it was a shawl for his mother, for Abe it was a book on Swami Vivekananda who had stopped in Japan on his way to Chicago for Parliament of the World's Religions, and for Xi, it was a series of things – from the Gita in Mandarin to bangles for Peng Liyuan.