6 Leaders Modi Welcomed At Airport

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February 18, 2025 14:37 IST

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Prime Minister Narendra D Modi surprised observers by going to the airport to receive Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, on his arrival in New Delhi on Monday, February 17, 2025.

Taking to social media, Modi posted, 'Went to the airport to welcome my brother, Amir of Qatar HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. Wishing him a fruitful stay in India and looking forward to our meeting tomorrow.'

It appeared that Modi wanted to express his gratitude to the Qatari amir for his government releasing 8 retired Indian Navy personnel in February 2024 who were imprisoned in Qatar.

Modi, who has infused personal chemistry in his international encounters, has made the special gesture of receiving a foreign leader at the airport only six times. Here they are:

Barack Obama, 2015

The first time Modi went to the airport to receive a foreign dignitary was in January 2015 seven months after he came to power when he welcomed then US president Barrack Obama.

Obama was chief guest on Republic Day 2015, the first American president to do so.

Sheikh Hasina, 2017

In April 2017, Modi made this gesture a second time when he went to the airport to welcome then Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Hasina and her government in Bangladesh were a close ally of India, and when she fled her country in August 2024 the Modi government offered her shelter.

The government has refused to hand her over to Bangladesh whose current government wants her to stand trial.

Abe Shinzo, 2017

The same year that Modi received Hasina at the airport, he made this gesture again, but this time at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel international airport in Ahmedabad.

The dignitary being received at Ahmedabad airport was Japan's then prime minister Abe Shinzo with who Modi shared a close personal bond.

Abe was in India for the India-Japan annual summit, during which he took part in a roadshow and attended the ground-breaking ceremony for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project.

Donald Trump, 2020

The venue was once again Ahmedabad airport, the year was 2020 and this time Modi went to welcome his 'dear friend', then US president Donald J Trump.

Modi and Trump held a rally attended by 100,000 people at Ahmedabad's Motera stadium (now known as the Narendra Modi stadium).

Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, 2024 

In January 2024, Modi welcomed UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.

The UAE president was given a ceremonial guard of honour on his arrival in Ahmedabad after which the two leaders embarked on a roadshow.

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