Barack Obama arrived here on Saturday on the first leg of his three-day visit that will seek to focus on opening up of Indian markets for American businesses and deal with wide range of political issues, including strategy on counter-terrorism.
The Air Force One carrying Obama and his wife Michelle touched down at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport here at 12:50 p.m.Obama and his wife walked down the ladder to a red carpet welcome and were received by Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan who presented him a memento.obama and officials have been careful to underline the benefits of the trip for the US economy. "The primary purpose is to take a bunch of US companies and open up markets so that we can sell in Asia, in some of the fastest-growing markets in the world, and we can create jobs here in the United States of America," Obama said yesterday.
Officials also hope the trip – the longest Obama has undertaken as president – will reinforce ties with "major democracies that share ... values" and mitigate Indian fears of being marginalised as America seeks a way out of Afghanistan.
Obama will land in Mumbai, the Indian commercial capital, and will make his first public statement at a memorial to the civilians killed in an attack by Islamist militants from the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba group on targets in the city in November 2008.
The president and his wife, Michelle, will stay at the Taj Mahal hotel, which was badly damaged in the attack. All 570 rooms have been booked, with an entire floor set aside for the president. The hotel's seafront has been a high-security zone for several days.
"Going [to Mumbai] first will send a very strong signal on US solidarity against terrorism and will help reassure India," said C Raja Mohan, a respected Indian foreign affairs analyst.
