New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke protocol yet again as he went to the airport to receive Jordan's King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, who arrived here on a three-day state visit to India on Tuesday.


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Modi welcomed King Abdullah with a warm hug as he alighted from the aircraft


Later, in a tweet, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar confirmed that PM Modi, deviated from protocol to welcome His Majesty Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan at the airport.


"India attaches great importance to its ties with Jordan," Kumar said.



This is King Abdullah's second visit to India after his visit along with Queen Rania in 2006.



 


Abdullah is scheduled to hold talks with PM Modi on Thursday during the course of which the two sides will discuss the entire gamut of bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.


President Ram Nath Kovind will host a banquet in honour of King Abdullah while Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will call on the visiting dignitary.


On Wednesday, the King will visit IIT Delhi to explore collaboration with Jordan technical institutes.


During the day, the King will also participate in a CEO Round-table followed by India-Jordan Business Forum jointly organised by Industry bodies Ficci, CII and Assocham.


India-Jordan trade stood at UD 1.35 billion in 2016-17, according to figures provided by the External Affairs Ministry.


Jordan's King will also deliver a special address on "Promoting Understanding and Moderation", organised by the India Islamic Centre at Vigyan Bhawan on Thursday.


Earlier this month, King Abdullah hosted Modi at his residence in Amman. Jordan had facilitated Modi's transit to Palestine in what was the first ever prime ministerial visit from India to that West Asian nation.


(With Agency Inputs)