PM Narendra Modi with US President Barack Obama during their meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in New York (Reuters photo)
US President Barack Obama walked up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on the other side of the table, and gave him a warm hug, informally addressing him as Modi and at times Narendra, his first name, said those present at their meeting in New York yesterday.
"You can see the personal chemistry between the two leaders the way the embrace happened between them," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup later told reporters.
The two leaders met for more than an hour at the United Nations headquarters in New York on the last day of PM Modi's US visit.
Describing India and the US as "natural partners", President Obama said after the meeting that the two countries have elevated their relationship and committed themselves to a new partnership.
"And there's been excellent follow-through on a whole range of issues," Mr Obama said.
"I deeply value our friendship and your vision and commitment for the relationship between our countries. We have achieved significant progress in our bilateral cooperation and international partnership," PM Modi said in a joint media appearance with President Obama.
"Both sides, President Obama in particular, said India and US were natural partners, with democracy and technology providing a very strong foundation to the already very stirring friendship between the two peoples," said Mr Swarup.
This was the fifth meeting between the two leaders; they had earlier met in New Delhi, Washington, Burma and Brisbane.
Their meetings have been marked by warm exchanges and on President Obama's visit to India in January this year, PM Modi had informally addressed him by his first name several times.
Three months later, Mr Obama had reciprocated when he profiled PM Modi for Time Magazine's list of 100 most influential people. Describing PM Modi's journey "from poverty to Prime Minister" as one that reflects the dynamism and potential of India's rise, the US President had used the Prime Minister's first name, writing, "When he came to Washington, Narendra and I visited the memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr."