India promises air surveillance, 7-layer security ring for Barack Obama on Republic Day

New Delhi: A week ahead of US President Barack Obama’s arrival in India, New Delhi on Sunday hailed the United States as “one of its most friendly partners” and said India “will do everything to ensures President Obama’s convenience.”

A seven-layer security ring will reportedly be thrown around the VVIP enclosure on Rajpath for the Republic Day parade where the US president is the chief guest.

The airspace over the area would be monitored by a radar to be specially set up for the purpose.

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“We will do everything that ensures his convenience. The invitation is an honour that we have extended to one of our most friendly partners,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said on Sunday.

A multi-agency control room will monitor the surveillance operations in every area of the national capital which has been put on the highest alert because of the visit of the US President who is expected to arrive in New Delhi on January 25 on a three-day visit to the country.

Threat perception is at the highest for the event but there is no specific intelligence input about a possible terror strike, officials engaged with the preparations told news agencies while giving a broad overview of the security drill.

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American Secret Service personnel, who have landed in the capital and Agra, have already conducted a preliminary survey of the routes to be taken by the US President and Rajpath where he will be seated.