Message to China? Narendra Modi takes bonhomie with Shinzo Abe to a new high in Gujarat

As China's influence in the neighbourhood grows, the bonhomie between Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe seems to be on the rise.

 

IndiaToday.in  | Written by Kritika Banerjee
New Delhi, September 14, 2017 | UPDATED 18:15 IST

If hugs can determine the nature of ties between two countries, then Prime Minister Narendra Modi's warm bear hug to his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, minutes after the latter landed at the international airport in Ahmedabad, bodes well for the future of India-Japan relationship.

The Prime Minister broke the protocol to receive Shinzo Abe and wife Akie Abe at the airport even as Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Governor O P Kohli were present.

Around this time in 2014, Narendra Modi had hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping in Ahmedabad. However, Modi then had not broken the protocol to receive the Chinese president and his wife at the airport. It was then Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and Governor O P Kohli who received them. Modi later met Chinese President Xi at Hotel Hyatt in Ahmedabad.

During Xi's visit to India, there was no elaborate roadshow for the visiting Chinese president. On Wednesday, Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe left the airport for Sabarmati Ashram in an open jeep, but not before Abe and wife changed into Indian attire.

According to some reports, Narendra Modi got the blue jacket that Shinzo Abe wore for the roadshow from the same store that had designed a similar jacket for Xi Jinping during his visit in 2014.

The 8-km long journey was turned into a massive roadshow as people lined up on both sides of the road and cheered the two leaders--Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe. "The Indian Cultural Road Show gave PM @AbeShinzo glimpses of the rich and diverse Indian culture that we are all extremely proud of," tweeted the Prime Minister.

Like Shinzo Abe, Xi's visit also included the visit to the Sabarmati Ashram where Narendra Modi gifted the Chinese president with a copy of Bhagavad Gita, written in Chinese.

Besides Sabarmati Ashram, Narendra Modi also took Shinzo Abe and wife Akie Abe for a guided tour of the famous Sidi Saiyed Mosque, known for its intricate filigree work on the windows.

The Prime Minister later hosted his Japanese counterpart for a dinner at the Agashiye restaurant. The restaurant, it is believed, had some of Narendra Modi's favourite dishes on the menu for the special dinner.

The venue for the dinner was chosen keeping in mind the view it offers. At the terrace restaurant, Shinzo Abe and his wife could look at the Sidi Saiyed Mosque while enjoying their dinner.

On Thursday, following the inauguration of the bullet train project, Narendra Modi took Shinzo Abe on a guided tour of Dandi Kutir, the museum depicting the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, in Gandhinagar.

That Modi meticulously planned the itinerary of the Japanese prime minister, took Shinzo Abe and his wife on personally guided tours in and around Ahmedabad are a reflection of the growing bonhomie between the two leaders, who perhaps feel the need to come closer as China's influence grows in the neighbourhood.

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