Bonding with Australia: Modi, Turnbull go on Delhi Metro ride

It was soft diplomacy, choreographed with much panache, as Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, accompanied by his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, travelled on a metro train in the Indian capital. The two leaders boarded an eight-coach metro at Mandi House station in central Delhi on April 8 after greeting the people at the station and then travelled to Akshardham temple, an iconic temple complex and a much-visited tourist attraction in the eastern part of Delhi. Chants of ‘Modi, Modi’ were heard at the metro station when the two leaders reached Mandi House. Mr Modi tweeted a photo of the two leaders taking a selfie inside the metro train coach, saying, “On board the Delhi Metro with PM @TurnbullMalcolm. We are heading to the Akshardham Temple”, while Turnbull posted the duo’s selfie. The two leaders held a bilateral meeting earlier in the day and presided over the inking of six pacts, including one aimed at strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation.