Hugs, First Names And Nuclear Deals On Day 1

Its been a day of hugs, of chat over cups of coffee hashtagged as chai and of calling each other by their first names. If what's happened on 25th January between PM Modi and US President Barack Obama is anything to go by then there is a full fledged romance brewing here.

When the American President landed in Delhi this morning, PM Modi broke protocol to receive him. Of course he also showed him how we do things in India - shook hands and then promptly planted a hug on Obama. To those watching since morning it seemed like an attempt to deliver a Washington Memorial-esque moment, albeit a hurried one. Obama and Modi parted their ways, Obama landed at his hotel and then headed to Rajghat, but it was only much later in the evening that the equation between the two leaders blossomed into a full fledged Bromance.

Obama, Modi met over lunch at Hyderabad house and then chatted over the much discussed #ChaiParCharcha (even though, a tea cosy threatened to derail the hashtag - the words 'Coffee' embroidered neatly in its side). As Modi poured Obama a cup of tea (or coffee) it was clear that the two shared an equation that was beyond the standard generally stuck-up diplomatic equations. The two then took a walk on lawns that had been manicured within a centimetre of their existence.

Later, during the release of a joint statement, Modi addressed Obama as 'Barack', Obama reciprocated by calling Modi 'NaMO' and the two spoke about their equation. Obama told the media that the two among other things discussed their sleep hours and laughed that Modi "got an hour less shut eye" than even Obama. "Once you've been doing this for 6 years, maybe you'll get one more hour," he advised.

In answers to media questions later, Modi said that he and Obama had become good friends, they picked up the phone and called each other and were even free enough to joke with each other. When pushed for details about their conversations, he said "Pardey Mein Rehney Do," and laughed. Of course, there was another hug too. At the time of putting this out, the two would also be meeting at a dinner later at night which would be hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee.

The fact that the equation between the two leaders would set the groundwork for the next 72 hours had already been hinted at even earlier Obama's deputy NSA Ben Rhodes was the latest to refer to it. "Our hope is that the chemistry between the leaders and the personal relationship can lead to positive outcomes for our country.So it's worth the investment in the relationship with the country, the leader, and the people of India," he told journalists.

Image Credit: BCCL

At their first Washington meeting, Modi and Obama discovered a couple of things about each other. Both are "outsiders" to the take-no-prisoners politics of their capitals. Both ran inspirational election campaigns using communication technology that changed the course of their nations. Both are loners in their own way with uniquely scripted life histories.

Obama is no "gut" chemistry guy. That was former president George W Bush.When he reached out to India, it was, according to his aides, because he believed it was the right thing to do.

In the past few years, it's been clear Obama is a more transactional president.As India under Manmohan Singh got bogged down in policy paralysis and an economic morass, the US lost interest, and the bilateral story was a laundry list of blame games.

Modi changed the game.Personally impressed by the American story as a result of his travels through the US, Modi concluded that the US could be made the most credible partner for his economic project. "He (Modi) focused a lot of that energy on domestic issues and the economy there, but the fact that he wants the US-India relationship to be a part of his ambitions for India is significant in opening the space for us to get some things done here," Rhodes said.

Modi is probably the ultimate transactional leader Obama will ever deal with.Perhaps that is the key to their "personal chemistry".Modi has brushed aside concerns that in Obama's twilight years as president and with a hostile Congress, the US president is close to being a lame duck. He is concentrating energies on the US president. He's likely to exhibit the same enthusiasm with the next White House incumbent after 2016.

For both leaders this joint endeavour has national benefits. For Modi, value is in getting the world's sole superpower invested in India's growth. He doesn't talk grand strategy, but echoes Manmohan Singh's famous line: "When economics becomes big enough, it becomes strategic."

Obama might finish his presidency with the India relationship being the bright spot on his report card. He may have wanted to achieve that with Singh, but finds the "doer" in Modi more suited for the purpose. Both are, therefore, on the same page.

With inputs from Times Of India