Delhi gets ready for Obama's visit

President Obama will be accompanied by a sizable delegation that will include several top officials as well as First Lady Michelle Obama.

The US President will arrive in New Delhi on Sunday morning.

The president will be joined in India by multiple members of his cabinet, business leaders and a host of US lawmakers. The names include the minority leader of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi during the much-anticipated trip.

The presidential aircraft, Air Force One, will fly Obama to India. The aircraft will have a brief refuelling halt over Ramstein in Germany and will touch down in Delhi at around 10 am on Sunday at Air Force Station, Palam.

Reporst said that Obama would be accorded a ceremonial welcome on his arrival at about 12 noon at the majestic Rashtrapati Bhawan by President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The White House said that Obama would pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at the Rajghat at 12.40 pm and take part in a tree planting event there. Obama will then join PM Modi for a restricted working lunch at the Hyderabad House and participate in a “walk and talk” with the Indian Prime Minister there at about 2.45 pm.

The two leaders will have an expanded delegation level meeting. The meeting is expected to last for about an hour. The duo will jointly address a press at about 4.10 pm on Sunday.

Security arrangements were tightened in an unprecedented manner for President Obama’s - the chief guest of the Republic Day celebrations.

Security agencies in New Delhi extended the 300 km no-fly zone during the Republic Day to a radius of 400 km this year covering cities such as Jaipur in the west, and Agra and also extending to the border with Pakistan, reports said.