New Delhi, India
US President Barack Obama concluded his three day trip to India on Tuesday, January 27, 2015. Obama’s arrival in New Delhi marked the first United States sitting President to visit India twice during his tenure at the White House. President Obama and the First Lady were greeted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon their arrival in New Delhi, India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
during his one on one session with President Obama said, "Barack and I
have forged a friendship. There is openness when we talk on the phone
and we also crack jokes," the Prime Minister said. "This chemistry has
brought Barack closer to me but also brought the people of India and America closer."
On January
25, US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle began their three
day landmark visit to India with a booming 21-gun salute and the
inspection of the guard of honour at the presidential palace known as
Rashtrapati Bhavan. After his ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati
Bhavan, the visiting US President went straight to Rajghat to pay
tribute to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.
President Obama pays tribute to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi (Photograph United States Embassy in New Delhi)
President Obama accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama were the star guests at President Pranab Mukherjee's
banquet. Among them External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence
Minister Manohar Parrikar, Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his
wife Gursharan Kaur, L.K Advani and Congress President Sonia Gandhi
were some of the well-known guests who were invited to the Presidential
banquet.
President
Obama has become the first US president to be the guest of honour at
India's annual Republic Day parade, a colourful display of the military
might and cultural diversity in the capital, New Delhi. Greeting the
people of India on its Republic Day, President Obama said while
extending his greetings on the occasion, “I am honoured to be the first
American president to attend this celebration, as well as the first
president to visit India twice."
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama attended the
Indo-US CEO Forum meeting, which was held on Monday at the Hotel
Taj. While speaking at the meeting, President Obama said, “Today, I’m
proud to announce additional steps, a series of U.S. initiatives that
will generate more
than $4 billion in trade and investment with India and support
thousands of jobs in both our countries. Specifically, over the next
two years, our Export-Import Bank will commit up to $1 billion in
financing to support “Made-in-America” exports to India.”
The visit
resulted in agreements at the highest level on joint implementation of
civil nuclear deal six years after it was signed. This was a
“breakthrough understanding” that would make it easier for U.S. and
foreign firms to invest in Indian nuclear power plants. Among the other agreements, renewal of the broad
10-year defence framework, with the Defence Trade and Technology
Initiative (DTTI), climate change, and the strategic partnership with a
Declaration of Friendship that strengthens and expands the relationship
between India and the United States of America.
US President Barack Obama concluded his three-day visit to India by addressing a selected gathering at Delhi's Siri Fort Auditorium.
During his address at the Siri Fort auditorium Obama said, “I bring the
friendship and greetings of the American people. On behalf of myself
and Michelle, thank you so much for welcoming us back to India, 'bahut
dhanyawad,” which drew massive cheer and applause from the audience.
Invitees
from the South Asian University for US President Obama’s address at
Siri Fort New Delhi. Pictured (l-r) Sandhya Nair (India ), Nilanjana Sen
(India), Ratan Roy (Bangladesh), Srimal Fernando (Sri Lanka ) and
Chaminda Padmakumara (Sri Lanka )
He also
said, “In India, what we have seen is enormous progress in lifting
hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, but still enormous work
has to be done.” His speech at Siri Fort Auditorium drew strong
applause. President Obama's visit to India was strategically important
and has boosted India-US diplomatic relations.
