Manmohan and wife to greet Obama at airport

Shubhajit Roy Abdullah bin Abdullah AzizPosted: Sun Nov 07 2010, 03:39 hrs======================================================================New Delhi:  

In a rare gesture deviating from protocol, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur will receive US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama when they land in Delhi on Sunday.

Sources said Singh personally took the decision to go to the tarmac at the Air Force Station Palam, next to the IGI Airport, where Obama is scheduled to arrive at 3.35 pm. Singh has in the past chosen to break from the protocol only twice in the last six years in office — for US President George W Bush’s visit in March 2006 and for Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdullah Aziz.

The PM’s decision to go and receive the US President, sources said, shows the importance attached to the visit by the leadership in New Delhi. Such exceptions are done only to make a point about the importance of the visit. In the case of George W Bush, the India-US nuclear deal, which was announced in July 2005 when Singh went to the US, was considered to be the reason for the decision.

And, in case of the Saudi King, who was invited as the chief guest for the Republic Day parade in 2006, the visit was considered to be extremely important as it was happening after five decades. His visit was also important given King’s leverage with the Muslim world.

In case of Obama, India’s growing relationship with the US, which was defined as the defining partnership of the 21st century, seems to have played a crucial role. Also, the fact that he is the first US President in the last three decades to have come to India in his first term of the Presidency, and also that he has not clubbed the Pakistan and India trips together.

All these, put together, have sent a powerful signal to New Delhi, which has prompted the Indian government to make such exceptions and roll out the red carpet.

Ordinarily, the visiting Presidents and Prime Ministers are received by a Minister-in-waiting, who then accompanies them to their destinations. In this case, Corporate Affairs and Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khursheed has been made the Minister-in-waiting.

On Sunday, the Obamas will go to Humayun’s Tomb, straight from the airport, and will then head for Roosevelt House. (indian express)

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