Obama to arrive on three-day visit

New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) US President Barack Obama accompanied by his wife Michelle arrives here Sunday morning on a three-day state visit during which he will attend the Republic Day parade as chief guest and also hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Obama, whose presidential plane, Air Force One, lands in New Delhi at 10 a.m., has a packed schedule.

Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal as minister-in-waiting for the visit is to receive Obama at the Air Force Station, Palam, as well as escort and assist him throughout the visit.

Obama is arriving at the head of high-level delegation that includes, among others, Democratic House minority leader Nancy Pelosi and Ami Bera, co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.

This is the second visit of Obama to India as president and the first time a US president is attending the Republic Day parade as chief guest.

The US president would be accorded a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan and later proceed to Raj Ghat to lay a wreath at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi. He will also plant a sapling at the venue.

At 1 p.m., Obama is to attend a luncheon meeting with Modi at Hyderabad House.

The two sides will hold delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House and later address the media.

In the evening, Obama would call on President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan and also attend a banquet hosted by the president.

On Monday, Obama would attend the Republic Day parade as chief guest during which India's military might and cultural diversity would be showcased in a two-hour open air event.

He was to have flown down to Agra to see the Taj Mahal Tuesday, but that leg of the visit has been cancelled and he would be leaving for Riyadh to condole the death of Saudi King Abdullah.