Obama to Arrive 10 A.M. Sunday (Lead)

New Delhi, Jan 22 (IANS) US President Barack Obama will arrive here at 10 a.m. Sunday, and bilateral talks will be held the same day, the external affairs ministry said Thursday.

Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal will be the minister-in-waiting.

"We see the visit of President Obama as strengthening our ties across the full spectrum of our relationship," external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.

Bilateral discussion between India and the US will be held Jan 25, followed by a banquet hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In the evening Jan 25, President Pranab Mukherjee will host a banquet.

On January 26, Obama will take part in the Republic Day parade, and Jan 27 he is scheduled to visit the Taj Mahal in Agra.

"We have had nine dialogue meetings in the past four months. Visit of the US president is a qualitative reinvigoration of our ties since our prime minister's visit to the US in September 2014," Akbaruddin said.

The spokesperson added that Indian and the US negotiators are working in a collaborative manner on nuclear liability issues.

"The discussions are presently happening in London. This is the third time that the contact group is meeting in last four months. Earlier meeting had taken place in Vienna," he said.