New Delhi (NVI): Being aware of the coronavirus outbreak, French President Emmanuel Macron has decided to meet all his counterparts with traditional Indian style of greeting — by saying ‘namaste’– instead of shaking hands.
The French President’s resolve was seen when he greeted Spain’s King and Queen today. He replaced the traditional handshake with an Indian-style namaste, pressing his palms together and bowing slightly.
French Ambassador to India, Emmanuel Lenain said in a tweet that Macron has decided to meet his counterparts with namaste, While also adding that the French President has retained the “graceful gesture” since his India visit in 2018.
“Président Macron has decided to greet all his counterparts with a namaste, a graceful gesture that he has retained from his India visit in 2018,” he tweeted.
Public health authorities in Europe have said that people should avoid shaking hands to curb the spread of coronavirus. The COVID-19 infection could be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact.
