From Twitter to Joint Radio Address, PM and Obama's Growing Ties

New Delhi: Barack Obama arrives in India this weekend for an unprecedented second visit by a serving US president, the honoured guest of his Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was a Washington outcast only a year ago.

As well as holding bilateral talks, the leaders of the world's two largest democracies will address CEOs and watch the spectacular Republic Day parade together.  On January 27, the US President will feature in a special edition of the PM's radio show, 'Mann Ki Baat'.   

The US president and wife Michelle will also travel to the Taj Mahal.

President Obama's courtship of Prime Minister Modi is evident from his three-day itinerary, the first time an incumbent president has returned to India.

While recent swings through Asia have included multiple stopovers, India is Obama's only destination this time, despite the risk of offending neighbouring Pakistan.

"There's no question this is a defining time in the US-India relationship," US Ambassador Richard Verma said in New Delhi yesterday. "Things not only feel different, they are different."

The US had blacklisted Mr Modi for more than a decade after deadly communal riots in Gujarat when he was state chief minister.

He was only brought in from the cold last February when Mr Verma's predecessor travelled to Gujarat once it appeared Mr Modi was likely to end the Congress party's 10-year rule.

The transformation since has been significant.

The US website Politico described their summit in September in Washington DC as a "love-in".

The PM's November invitation "to have a friend over" was issued via Twitter and President Obama's quick-fire acceptance underlined a sense of coordination.

One cloud was lifted in November when the two governments resolved a row over food subsidies that had been blocking a global trade agreement.

Observers are not expecting major policy announcements, although a deal on intelligence sharing is on the cards and decade-old defence cooperation pact is expected to be upgraded.
Particular focus will be on the economy - the PM has  pledged to make India "the easiest place" to do business.

President Obama and PM Modi will make a joint address to company bosses on Monday in an event organised by the US-India Business Council.

US Ambassador Verma said bilateral trade was now running at around 100 billion dollars a year - five times the level of a decade ago - and saw no reason it couldn't grow by another five times.