NEW DELHI (TIP): U.S. President Barack Obama will finish his first day of a landmark India trip on Sunday, Jan. 25, at a star-studded ceremonial banquet within the Rashtrapati Bhavan — the official residence of India’s President Pranab Mukherjee — where the guest list boasts up to 200 of India’s leading industrialists, politicians, academics, physicians, and actors . Expected guests include Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan, cricket star Sachin Tendulkar, Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata, and a host of other top industry leaders. The business-heavy invitation list reflects the high priority the United States and India are placing on reviving bilateral trade ties.
Sunday’s grand affair will follow a lunch between Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a series of bilateral meetings spanning a range of issues at Hyderabad House.
On Monday, Obama will attend India’s Republic Day Parade alongside Modi, becoming the first U.S. president to attend this occasion. Obama is then expected to join Modi for back-to-back meetings with Indian business leaders: the Indo-U.S. CEO Forum and the India-U.S. Business Council.
Obama will visit Agra to have a look at the monument of love and the 8th wonder of the world The Taj Mahal, the following day, before returning to Washington.