Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and Pranab Mukherjee arrive for the banquet at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle arrived this evening for what is perhaps the biggest ever banquet at the Presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan, with a guest list of around 250 people. The number of guests at any such banquet is usually not more than 100.
The US President wore a dark suit and tie, Mrs Obama wore a dress in bright floral print. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wore a grey bandhgala.
Mr Obama, who is the chief guest at tomorrow's Republic Day celebrations, and First Lady Michelle Obama, arrived this morning for a three-day visit.
Also invited at Sunday's banquet, hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee, are top union ministers, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh.
President Obama's entire delegation will attend the dinner.
The National Security Adviser, the three service chiefs and diplomats from both countries will be present.
The mammoth guest list includes winners of the Padma awards, India's highest civilian honour, announced today. Among them are actors Amitabh Bachchan and Dilip Kumar and veteran BJP leader LK Advani.
Former presidents like APJ Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil have also been invited. The Lok Sabha Speaker, Leaders of opposition, the Chief Justice of India and the RBI governor are also among the invitees.
Members of the US-India Business Council are expected to be present at the banquet. Corporate India is likely to be represented by Mukesh Ambani, Anil Ambani, Ratan Tata, Cyrus Mistry, Anand Mahindra, Gautam Adani, Sunil Bharti Mittal and Deepak Parekh.
The menu has on it the best of Indian cuisine, including a kabab platter that features Galauti Kebab, Soufiyans fish tikka and chicken malai tikka and for vegetarians, dahi kabab, tandoori mushroom and hariyali kabab.
There is a broccoli and walnut soup and mustard fish curry, a roast leg of mutton, mutton Rogan josh, chicken korma, Kashmiri delicacy Gushtaba, Dal Raisina, aachari paneer, Bedmi aloo, Kadhi Pakora, chhole, papad, pulao, tandoori roti and naan.
There will be malpua and rabdi and a date steamed pudding for dessert.
Here is the menu of the banquet: