Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (21) received an unprecedented welcome from his Papua New Guinean counterpart after he reached the Pacific island-nation as the first Indian premier.
After he descended the stairs of the flight around 10 pm local time at the airport in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea (PNG), its prime minister James Marape touched his feet. The two leaders then hugged each other.
The two leaders were set to co-host the Summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation on Monday (22) along with other Pacific island leaders.
"I am grateful that all 14 Pacific Island Countries (PIC) have accepted the invitation to attend this important summit (FIPIC)," Modi had said earlier.
Leaders of Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were touched by Marape's gesture. Sambit Patra, the party's national spokesperson, said in a tweet, “…the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea pays respects to the Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji by touching his feet. This profound visual exemplifies India's growth and influence under the leadership of PM Modi."
Another BJP spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill tweeted, “As they say respect is earned & this video of Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape greeting PM Modi shows India’s strength, respect in world under strong well meaning leadership of PM @narendramodi Ji . Jai Hind."
Modi, who reached PNG from Japan where he took part in the G7 summit where several world leaders were present, also received a grand welcome from the Indian diaspora. They were seen cheering the prime minister and clicking selfies with him.
Modi is the first prime minister to visit PNG.
"After a successful visit to Japan, PM @narendramodi emplanes for Papua New Guinea, for the second leg of his three-nation tour," India's ministry of external affairs tweeted.
From PNG, Modi will go to Australia where he will have a bilateral meeting with his local counterpart Anthony Albanese and attend a grand ceremony by the Indian diaspora in Sydney.
President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian holds up a poster of a girl's school that was attacked while addressing the 81st session of the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly at U.N. Headquarters on September 23, 2026 in New York City. World leaders have gathered in New York for the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly, with this year's global issues ranging from the threat of artificial intelligence to the continued wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Getty Images