How to measure Trump and Modi's friendship with hugs
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is always on the move and rubbing shoulders with world leaders, literally. And in the many, many well-documented instances where he has met these world leaders, his body language has always given away more stuff than his words.
In his three-year reign as the Indian PM, Modi has gained the reputation for being a vigorous hugger and a man with a really firm handshake. In fact, his grip is so firm that some suspected that Prince William of the United Kingdom probably suffered "physical damage" after that "famous" handshake with Modi.
While there is an innate Indianness in Modi’s hugs, most international political figures are not quite used to this unexpected show of affection. Which is why the “hugshots” tend to look awkward. All the time.
On one hand, his hugs have been lauded as an exercise in asserting a diplomatic upper hand. According to a Washington Post analysis, “hugging world leaders [also] puts India, an enormous country that has struggled with legacies of colonialism, on an equal footing with Western leaders".
As a journalist said in his BBC interview, "He's trying to tell the world that he's an equal, a friend, and he's very affectionate. Mr Modi is a performer."
On the other hand, Modi’s hugging has been characterised as intrusive and disrespectful of other’s personal space, something that has also been a regular theme in the BJP government’s policies. Narendra Modi has hugged them all — Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg, former US President Barack Obama, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
In fact, one of his more famously awkward hugs was with the former French President François Hollande. The poor man was at the receiving end of an unbelievably awkward back hug.
After the Awkward Hug, Holande turned back to escape Modi but... pic.twitter.com/VyIcjbnTqa
— Joy (@Joydas) January 24, 2016
The big question, thus on everyone’s mind for the last couple of days was: How’s this going to work out with Donald Trump?
Trump, of course, has a much more aggressive body language. Nothing about his mannerisms exudes an air of warmth. The man, during his first joint meeting with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) leaders, shoved aside the prime minister of Montenegro. His handshakes are less of a shake and more of a yank. His stance is awkward and his expression always bewildered.
So what happened when Trump (who clearly behaves like a rowdy pre-teen) hugged Modi (the over-friendly, avuncular hugger)? It was weird.
This has One Side Lover written all over it. pic.twitter.com/IB399BEC7j
— Akshat (@FarziVakeel_) June 27, 2017
can someone please tell modi that he doesn't have to do this pic.twitter.com/Q3k6h2WQdC
— Aroon Deep (@AroonDeep) June 27, 2017
(GIF Source: Buzzfeed)
There is, of course, the possibility that Trump is not quite experienced with what genuine warmth feels like (the implication here is that he is what he is because he was never hugged as a child), but one can't hardly deny that PM Modi is pretty clingy.
There is an almost "there, there" look on Trump's face, as if Modi was overcome with way too many emotions in the snap of that hug. And maybe he was. Maybe the hugs reminded him of good old days with his "BFF Barack".
There was also a goodbye hug - a second hug.
That Narendra Modi is really enthusiastic about hugging people is pretty apparent. And some may consider this a problem. After all, you can't start diplomatic meetings on an awkward note. But then, being a hugger is not the worst thing ever.