MEA requests 'measurements' of Africa's leaders ahead of October summit, but this isn't new

Ahead of the third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) next month, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has sent communiqués to the consular offices of all African nations with a slightly strange request. The IAFS that was supposed to take place last year was postponed on account of the Ebola crisis. This request by the MEA has nothing to do with Ebola, just in case you were wondering. Neither is it related to security, nor the menu for the summit. The Indian Express reports that the MEA has requested the ‘measurements’ of all 54 African heads of state, so that a half-sleeve kurta and churidar ensemble may be stitched for them in time for the summit. According to a ministry official quoted in the report, the photo-op in kurtas “will be one of the highlights of the summit and will help demonstrate the solidarity and age-old partnership India has with the African countries”. While making their sartorial decisions, the MEA has presumably taken Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the only woman head of state and government in Africa, into account. Stating that the MEA is yet to receive objections from any African country, the quoted official went on to wax eloquent about the sewing machine, identifying it as a ‘tool which helps people feel really comfortable around each other’. “Stitch by stitch, the fabric of the relationship between countries can also be repaired and strengthened,” the official added. Poetic, most certainly. But unique, certainly not. Here are a few examples of similar photo-ops at summits across the world: [caption id=“attachment_2448636” align=“aligncenter” width=“825”] Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and US President Barack Obama at the East Asia Summit in Indonesia in 2011. Interestingly, then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev declined to attend the summit. Perhaps they got his measurements wrong? AP image[/caption]   [caption id=“attachment_2448640” align=“aligncenter” width=“825”] Presidents Xi Jinping and Barack Obama at the APEC Summit in Beijing in November 2014, moments after the US president was captured chewing gum — an absolute no-no if the Chinese press was anything to go by at the time. This summit was also notable for President Vladimir Putin’s moment of gallantry, in which he draped his coat around Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan’s shoulders — which also did not go down well with the Chinese press. AFP image[/caption]   [caption id=“attachment_2448642” align=“aligncenter” width=“825”] Mexico President Enrique Pena Nieto (centre), his wife Angelica Rivera (left) and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet (right) at the APEC Summit in Beijing, in 2014. The Mexican president’s face betrays a sense of unease, but whether or not this was to do with the tight collar or the impending trouble with the First Lady (evident in a public spat in July 2015), is unclear.  AFP image[/caption]   [caption id=“attachment_2448644” align=“aligncenter” width=“825”] Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the East Asia Summit in Myanmar, in November 2014. Unfortunately, this may not have been the prime minister’s colour. AFP image[/caption]