EAM Jaishankar Defends PM Modi's Hug to Putin

By A Staff Reporter

During a statement in Kyiv, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar addressed questions about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s hug with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a recent meeting in Moscow. Jaishankar explained that in India and its neighboring regions, embracing is a common cultural practice when people meet.

"It may not be part of your culture, but it is part of our culture," Jaishankar said, emphasizing that such gestures are a traditional form of greeting and expressing warmth in Indian culture. The minister’s comments were in response to questions regarding the significance of PM Modi's hug with President Putin, highlighting the cultural differences in how interactions are perceived globally.