India, Oct. 12 -- What's common between Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump, former US President Barack Obama, French President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to name a few?

All have received Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "famous bear hugs."

Now, as humans, we know that few things in life are as universally comforting as a hug. Whether it's a warm squeeze from a loved one, an encouraging pat from a friend, or an intimate embrace that speaks volumes without words, hugs are a fundamental way we connect.

But PM Modi hugs not his near or dear ones, but world leaders. Some critics have been sceptical and ...