‘Bear hug’ diplomacy: Modi, Vietnamese PM Chinh embrace bilateral ties during state visit

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday welcomed his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh with hugs at a ceremonial reception in Rashtrapati Bhawan. The duo shared a series of hugs, seven to be precise, in between the scheduled engagements.

Chinh is in India for a three-day state visit. On Thursday, he received a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan and later paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

The two prime ministers embraced each other thrice at Rashtrapati Bhawan and four times at Hyderabad House, where they signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs).

Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar, Delhi L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena, Union Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare) Anupriya Patel, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju and his Cabinet colleague Sarbananda Sonowal were present on the occasion.

ThePrint’s National Photo Editor Praveen Jain captures glimpses from the visit.

Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh and PM Narendra Modi share a light moment | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Modi, Chinh hug at Rashtrapati Bhavan forecourt | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Modi receives Chinh with a hug at Rashtrapati Bhavan | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Modi and Chinh hug at Hyderabad House | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Modi and Chinh hug after addressing joint press conference | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Modi and Chinh at Hyderabad House after former’s speech | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Both leaders embrace each other after joint press conference at Hyderabad House | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Modi, Chinh after conclusion of ceremonial reception | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Modi and Chinh heading into Hyderabad House | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Modi with Jaishankar at ceremonial reception for Vietnamese PM | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Pham Minh Chinh arrives at Rashtrapati Bhavan | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Modi bids farewell to Chinh | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju with Modi at Rashtrapati Bhawan | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Jaishankar and chief protocol officer Anshuman Gaur at Rashtrapati Bhawan | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba at Rashtrapati Bhawan | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

(L-R) Union ministers Anupriya Patel, Jaishankar and Rijiju at Rashtrapati Bhavan | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

(L-R) Union ministers with cabinet secretary and Delhi L-G at Rashtrapati Bhavan | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

(L-R) Joint secretary to PM Deepak Mittal, Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaurdhari and cabinet secretary Gauba at Rashtrapati Bhavan | Praveen Jain | ThePrint