A red carpet welcome awaits Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as he lands at the Andrews Air Force Base today as the first state guest of President Barack Obama for a visit that is expected to take the Indo-US strategic relationship to the next level.
The prime minister, his wife Gursharan Kaur, and his delegation would be welcomed by a group of children and the Indian American community, before he drives to the Willard Intercontinental Hotel, three blocks away from White House.
Singh would be staying at the hotel instead of the historic Blair House, US president's designated guest house.
The prime minister's state visit actually starts on November 24 when US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michell would personally welcome Singh and his wife at the White House and he would be given a 21-gun salute.
Singh, however, would kick off his trip tomorrow by addressing the American business community, which is his way of acknowledging their contribution in strengthening of the US-India relationship and in particular their role in the passage of the landmark civilian nuclear deal.
There is a huge enthusiasm among the US corporate leaders with many of them flying in from various parts of the country just for this event.
Later in the evening, he would address the intellectual community at the prestigious think tank Council on Foreign Relations and would directly respond to their questions.
Several lawmakers and administration officials are also scheduled to call on Singh during his stay here, including the powerful Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.
The most significant part of the Prime Minister's trip to the US will of course be his one-on-one meeting with Obama which officials have said would shape the direction of the Indo-US relations for the next few years.
Though the two leaders met in April on sidelines of the G-20 Summit in London and briefly at Pittsburgh's G-20 Summit, this would be for the first time they would discuss bilateral issues and possibilities of cooperation on key global issues including Pakistan, Afghanistan, climate change and nuclear proliferation.
Following the meeting between the delegations of two countries led by Singh and Obama, the two leaders are expected to address a press conference at the White House, and a joint statement reflecting the strengthening of the relationship between the two countries would be issued.
The prime minister has indicated that he would seek a "more liberal" US technology transfer to India and an early implementation of the Indo-US nuclear deal.
Besides terrorism emanating from Pakistan is also expected to be high on agenda of the Singh-Obama talks.
The two sides are likely to sign an MoU on counter-terrorism that will provide a framework for institutionalized cooperation particularly in intelligence sharing, sources said.
Image: US and Indian flags fluttering in front of the White House in honour of Dr Singh's arrival.
Photograph: Mathew Karmel
