US President Barack Obama accepts PM Narendra Modi's Republic Day invite
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday invited US President Barack Obama to be the chief guest at Republic Day celebrations in January, an invitation which has been accepted by the American leader.
This Republic Day, we hope to have a friend over…invited President Obama to be the 1st US President to grace the occasion as Chief Guest.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 21, 2014Confirming Obama's acceptance, the Press Secretary on the President's Travel in a statement said, "At the invitation of Prime Minister Modi, the President will travel to India in January 2015 to participate in the Indian Republic Day celebration in New Delhi as the Chief Guest.”
"This visit will mark the first time a US president will have the honour of attending Republic Day, which commemorates the adoption of India's Constitution.”
"The President will meet with the Prime Minister and Indian officials to strengthen and expand the US-India strategic partnership."
Modi met President Obama in September in Washington for talks on two consecutive days.
Earlier this month, Modi met Obama at an East Asia summit in Myanmar and an agreement was struck there to allow WTO trade deal that India had stalled over concerns that its food subsidies to the poor could face legal challenges.
Obama had praised Modi as "a man of action".
@ invite of @narendramodi President Obama will travel to #India in Jan 2015 to participate in Indian Republic Day celebration as Chief Guest
— @NSCPress (@NSCPress) November 21, 2014Visit will mark 1st time US president will have honor of attending Republic Day, which commemorates adoption of India’s constitution #India
— @NSCPress (@NSCPress) November 21, 2014President Obama will meet w/ @narendramodi and Indian officials to strengthen and expand the U.S.-#India strategic partnership
— @NSCPress (@NSCPress) November 21, 2014