Obama thanks Indians for their extraordinary hospitality
New Delhi:US President Barack Obama on Monday thanked the people
of India for their extraordinary hospitality and warmth. After attending a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan here, Obama said: "I thank all the people of India
for their extraordinary hospitality and convey my warmest regards from the people
of America." He also said that the US and India will work on international principles
and for the promotion of peace and stability not only for the two countries, but
for the world. "United States intends to strengthen what is already an incredible
partnership between the US and India to what will be a defining partnership of
the 21st century," he added. "We share an extraordinary people-to-people contacts
and my hope is that during by discussions with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
others we will be able to build on commercial ties, strengthen our bilateral relations
on international economy, on counter-terrorism for a secure US and India in the
future," he said. The Obama's were welcomed warmly at the presidential palace
forecourt by President Pratibha Patil and her husband Devisingh Patil. They were
then greeted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur.
Obama
then inspected a tri-service Guard of Honour. The U.S First Couple then proceeded
to Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation, where they paid
tribute. President Obama will hold formal talks with Prime Minister Singh and
address a joint press conference at Hyderabad House later in the day. In the evening,
he will address a joint sitting of Parliament before attending a state banquet
hosted in his honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
