The personal warmth Abbott shared with Modi was reflected yet again at a reception at the iconic 161-year-old Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) where he said Modi is like a “brother.”
“Narendra and I,” said Abbott on couple of occasions while referring to the determination of the two leaders to work together to help strengthening of relations.
Abbott had urged world leaders to speak from the heart rather than a script at the summit of the Group of 20 industrialised and major emerging economies at Brisbane.
“If we could use first names, that would be good as well because, whatever disagreements we might have, it helps if there can at least be personal warmth amongst us,” he said.