Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised to go all out to welcome French President Francois Hollande to India. After all Hollande is the guest of honour at India's Republic Day, a privilege only a few heads of state get to experience. But Modi chose an odd way to do that by taking Hollande to Chandigarh, a city where apparently there was nothing else to show the French premier other than the airport and the city's unique, albeit not terribly exciting, rock garden.
But the Indian prime minister decided to make up for that by still offering the sort-of photo-based hilarity that we have come to expect from him when dealing with the rest of the world, whether it involves a monogrammed suit or walking around terracotta warriors in China.
Modi has something of a history in awkward interactions with foreign heads of state, from backslaps to ignored handshakes, and now there's a whole new addition to the list. This picture of Modi and Hollande from Chandigarh's Rock Garden has to be seen to be believed, and Twitter thoroughly enjoyed seeing and believing.
LIVE: PM Modi and French President Hollande at Indo-French CEO Forum in Chandigarh— https://t.co/pW625qm482 pic.twitter.com/x0z9XFxCvw
— The Hindu (@TheHindu) January 24, 2016
Taking PDA to soaring levels of uncomfortable, one world leader at a time. https://t.co/uVxdYmU4ma
— Vidya (@VidyaKrishnan) January 24, 2016
Mere dil mein aapke liye sirf izzat hai Naren babu pic.twitter.com/fMjIOzhpD2
— Ankur Bhardwaj (@Bhayankur) January 24, 2016
Shake it Daddy Shake it Shake it Shake it Daddyyyy! pic.twitter.com/4iL1tq5OCx
— Ankur Bhardwaj (@Bhayankur) January 24, 2016
"Boss, Dadar nahin utarna hai toh thoda side ho jaao!" pic.twitter.com/H3giQZszBO
— Aisi Taisi Democracy (@AisiTaisiDemo) January 24, 2016
2015: 'Yes We Can' 2016: Can Can (this superb image via @TheHindu ) #Hollande #Modi pic.twitter.com/90W3IFTPNM
— Sayoni Aiyar (@sayoniaiyar) January 24, 2016
"Pitiful men, dressed in a little, brief authority" pic.twitter.com/lrkawzdAAY
— SANJAY HEGDE (@sanjayuvacha) January 24, 2016
Still a better love story than Twilight. https://t.co/O0GNW9deiH
— अंशुल (@Ghair_Kanooni) January 24, 2016
Hollande- Rock Garden is nice. What else to see in this city? Modi- Departure lounge at the airport.
— Gappistan Radio (@GappistanRadio) January 24, 2016
Hollande: Let's go for lunch? Modi: Hard Rock Cafe? Hollande:... Modi: LOL pic.twitter.com/J47WxdObSc
— Sahil Shah (@SahilBulla) January 24, 2016
Le Poonjabi shuffle https://t.co/EvgKYzgNCl
— arjun bali (@arjunbali) January 24, 2016
New level in bilateral ties unlocked pic.twitter.com/Q3Rh9FMZjm
— Taz (@xtahzy) January 24, 2016
O Shaava Shaava Mahi Ve https://t.co/WKOle8uSw6
— rama lakshmi (@RamaNewDelhi) January 24, 2016
Wen u dans in d sangeat evn tho ur nt dat gud pic.twitter.com/qciz9Fc3fm
— Rohan (@mojorojo) January 24, 2016