Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s brief interaction with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France, sparked widespread discussion on social media, with many users focusing on the absence of the leaders’ customary embrace.
Visuals from the summit showed Modi and Trump exchanging a handshake and engaging in a short conversation. The clip quickly went viral, with several commentators interpreting the interaction through the lens of diplomacy and the current state of India-US relations.
Senior journalist Rahul Shivshankar shared the footage on X, describing the exchange as “awkward” and noting that there was “no trademark hug” between the two leaders. He observed that the meeting involved only a firm handshake, with Trump briefly patting Modi’s elbow as they sat beside each other.
Other users echoed similar sentiments. One post remarked that the absence of a hug during their first meeting since tariff-related tensions could signal changing equations between New Delhi and Washington. Another user mocked the speculation, saying geopolitical analysis had been reduced to “hugs per minute and handshake duration” rather than strategic interests.
Some social media users also contrasted the interaction with Modi’s warm embraces of French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during the summit. Others claimed the Prime Minister appeared to pass by Trump during an earlier photo opportunity without greeting him.
