US President Barack Obama will make his presence as the chief guest for India’s 66th Republic Day celebrations. Obama will be the first U.S. President to attend the celebrations as the chief guest. This will be Obama's second visit to India as US president. Obama last visited India in November 2010 when he had come to Mumbai and New Delhi on a State visit.
“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,” Modi tweeted on Friday.
Obama’s National Security Council was quick to confirm that the president had accepted the invitation. "President Obama will travel to India in January 2015 to participate in Indian Republic Day celebration as chief guest. Obama will meet w/@narendramodi and Indian officials to strengthen and expand the U.S.-#India strategic partnership. Visit will mark 1st time US president will have honor of attending Republic Day, which commemorates adoption of India’s constitution #India." the NSC tweeted.
New Delhi has hosted leaders of four other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council–China, Russia, UK and France–on previous occasions. The choice of the US President is indicative of the push which the Modi government wants to give to India-US relationship at the beginning of his five-year term.
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