India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) and U.S. President Donald Trump in the Rose Garden at the White House on June 26. (Photo: Jay Mandal/On Assignment)
I have always enjoyed analyzing major diplomatic visits from peripheral, even ridiculous standpoints. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to Washington under the Trump administration during the last two days offered me that opportunity.
Right off the bat, I was looking for two body language markers in the visit—the handshake and the hug, something the Indian prime minister has become known for globally often to the chagrin of his detractors. I bring no emotion to the subject other than gentle mocking. Modi’s handshakes and hugs are a thing in global diplomacy because he does both with some gusto, the former sometimes to the pain of his interlocutors and the latter to their visible awkwardness. But the prime minister presses on.
I was curious to see that if Modi would introduce President Donald Trump to his famous hugs. There was some speculation in the grapevine that he might drop it because Trump is not said to be much of a hugger when it comes to other men. That speculation was unfounded as Modi showed twice in a span of 20 minutes during their public interaction in the Rose Garden.
The first hug occurred after Trump finished his statement and when Modi walked up to him. It was decidedly awkward and almost unreciprocated by Trump. The second occurred after Modi had finished his statement. That hug was equally fulsome from Modi’s side but painfully hesitant from Trump’s. “Oh, a hug again!? Alright, why not?” seemed to be what was on Trump’s mind. (See the picture above.) It was more in the realm of Seinfeldian hug with Trump being Seinfeld and Modi perhaps Kramer.
Of course, it is unfair to comment on a brief moment of awkwardness but I am going to do it anyway. I have studied the photo taken by my dear friend, the omnipresent photo journalist Jay Mandal, rather closely. Modi’s arms are fully wrapped around Trump’s considerable girth, almost like an accomplished tailor taking a measurement. There is no hesitation on his part because that’s what he does routinely. Trump on the other hand appears to be a reluctant hugger. “Alright, that’s enough. Let it go now,” could have been what he might have been saying were it not considered impolitic.
There was at least one more willing hug between the two men before the day ended.
Now to the handshake. I have closely studied the grip, pressure, angle, position of the thumb and index finger as well as creases in the skin to conclude that the handshakes were even between the two. There was some expectation that between the cruncher (Modi) and the puller (Trump) the former might win but going by the photograph below it seems to be even even though Trump had a slight edge.
For a final call I must see the back of Trump's hand and count the number of creases in his skin. Modi has four full creases, suggesting that Trump really went for it before Modi did.I think in Trump, Modi has met his hand-crushing match.
My instant bogus analysis is that Trump established the grip before Modi could, putting the latter at a disadvantage. Both their index fingers touch each other's early wrists clearly showing an equality of purpose and self-assurance, not to mention the will to dominate.
I have also compared the thumbs of the two men and whether and how they curve outward. Look at Trump’s thumb and how it curves up, outward (see the picture below). That suggests an extremely outgoing person given to glad-handing.
Now compared that Modi’s thumb below. It is relatively straight indicating a person who is not by natural inclination friendly.
With that bogus analysis complete, I will give you a more substantive piece tomorrow. I think I give you readers enough without charging anything.