NEW DELHI — President Barack Obama opened a three-day visit to India aimed at turning his personal chemistry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi into progress on climate change, defense and economics.
Obama’s arrival Sunday morning in the bustling capital of New Delhi marked the first time an American leader has visited India twice during his presidency. Obama is also the first to be invited to attend India’s Republic Day festivities, which commence Monday and mark the anniversary of the enactment of the country’s democratic constitution.
Modi was at the airport to welcome Obama, greeting the American leader at the foot of the Air Force One stairs wearing a gold kurta. Obama and his wife, Michelle, exited the plane holding hands and shook hands with Modi. Obama also hugged the prime minister and patted him on the back.
Ahead of the celebrations, Obama was to meet with Modi and attend a state dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan, India’s presidential palace. He also planned to attend a wreath-laying and tree-planting ceremony at a memorial to Indian independence icon Mahatma Gandhi.
But in a move likely to take some of the symbolic shine off Obama’s trip, the White House announced shortly before his departure from Washington that the president was canceling plans to visit the Taj Mahal in Agra. The president and first lady had planned to tour the famed white marble monument of love on Tuesday, but instead the Obamas will go to Saudi Arabia to pay respects to the royal family following the death of King Abdullah.