PM Narendra Modi with US President Barack Obama in Washington, DC. (Photo: Reuters)
In a huge diplomatic coup for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, United States President Barack Obama has accepted his invitation to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations in January. On Friday evening, PM Modi tweeted:
Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said, "You are aware that the PM had very successful visit to US in September. Following his return from there, as a personal initiative, in one of his conversations, he did extend an invitation to President Obama to be the chief guest at the next Republic Day celebrations," he said.
"This is also another first, President Obama will be the first US President to visit India a second time in his term of office," Mr Akbaruddin said.
Sources have told NDTV that very few people in the government were aware of the invitation. US Embassy officials heard about the invitation from Twitter, they told NDTV.
While officials will not reveal exactly when the invite was sent, NDTV has learnt that the visit was discussed when the two leaders met last week in Myanmar and Australia for the summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and G20. The whole process that followed was very tightly choreographed by both sides.
The personal rapport between PM Modi and President Obama has also played a part, from Washington to Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, where President Obama called PM Modi "a man of action", to Brisbane.
And at a time when ties between India and Pakistan are strained, President Obama's visit will send out a strong message to India's neighbours as well.