The Congress may have made the word 'hugplomacy' famous, but it Prime Minister Narendra Modi who pioneered the concept.
Over the years, Modi has hugged it out with many a world leader and celebrity including Barack Obama and his successor President Donald Trump, his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron, his predecessor Francois Hollande, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Crown Prince of UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Significantly, Modi had shared a warm embrace with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif too when he made an unscheduled visit to Lahore in December 2015.
On several occasions in the past, the Congress has taken a jibe at Modi over the same. The Prime however remains undeterred.
Valentine's Week is supposed to be a period of time that allows you to show your loved ones how you feel about them.
With Wednesday being Hug Day, we bring to you a photographic reminder of the Prime Minister's hugs -- some more awkward than the rest -- but all showcasing the camaraderie the politician enjoys with his counterparts.
1. Prime Minister Modi shares a good rapport with Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces.
And with there having been several occasions when the two have greeted each other with a hug, we had a hard time narrowing it down to just one photo.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi in 2015 | Photo: PTI
2. Be it Chandigarh's Rock Garden or the Titanic -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rather strange hug with former French President Francois Hollande set Twitter abuzz.
To be fair, this was perhaps just an unfortunate picture among many perfect shots of the rest of the hug. But it's one that we can't forget just yet.
Many compared Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hug with Francois Hollande to the Titanic pose struck by Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio. | Photo: Ankur Bhardwaj/Twitter
3. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe too has a shared history of hugs with the Indian Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed by Shinzo Abe upon arrival in Kyoto. | AP/PTI
Narendra Modi hugs Shinzo Abe at Ahmedabad airport | AFP/PIB
4. Prime Minister Modi has met Barrack Obama on several occasions. Take a look at this 2015 welcome that the former American president received when he arrived at the Delhi Airport.
A hug exchanged between the two leaders at Delhi Airport in 2015 | Photo: narendramodi.in
5. With close ties between the two nations, Russian President Vladimir Putin is no stranger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's signature hug.
This particular hug is from a 2018 meeting in India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hug before a meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on October 5, 2018 | Photo: AFP
5. American President Donald Trump may have a signature handshake, but well, Prime Minister Modi has a signature hug. And in several meetings between the two leaders, the latter came forth as a clear winner.
Here is one such hug:
Photo by AFP
6. Breaking protocol, Benjamin Netanyahu's six-day India visit began with a bear hug from Prime Minister Modi.
This wasn't their only hug.
Prime Minister Modi broke protocol to personally receive Benjamin Netanyahu with a hug as he arrived in India for a six-day visit. He also shook hands with Netanyahu's wife Sara. | Photo: PTI
7. Another meeting, another hug.
This time, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman was on the receiving end.
Narendra Modi greets the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman in New Delhi on 19 February 2019 | Photo: PTI
8. An awkward hug or merely an unfortunate angle?
We may never know.
But Mexican President, Enrique Pena Nieto, does look cheerful. During Modi's 2016 visit, he even drove the PM to a restaurant "for Mexican vegetarian fare".
Photo: Congress/Twitter video screengrab
9. Looking at this embrace between French President Emmanuel Macron and PM Narendra Modi, we don't really know who is happier.
French President Emmanuel Macron and PM Narendra Modi |
10. We left one of the most infamous hugs for last.
Coming closer to home, let us take you back to the time Congress leader Rahul Gandhi turned the tables on the Prime Minister with a hug.
Photo: LSTV GRAB via PTI
Commemorating the moment, the Congress was quick to upload a video on Hug Day 2020.
Take a look:
(With inputs from agencies)
