Administration Welcomes Prime Minister Manmohan Singh *updated*

Just a quick post:

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) gestures to a person across the room as she stands with Vice President Joe Biden (R) and his wife Jill (C) during an official arrival and welcoming ceremony for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the East Room at the White House in Washington, November 24, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young

US President Barack Obama today accorded a warm welcome to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the White House saying his visit to the United States reflected the high esteem in which the people of America hold him.

The two leaders arrived in the East hall of the White House at 9020 hrs (local time) for the customary handshake and the opening remarks.

Both the leaders were accompanied by their spouses Michelle Obama and Gursharan Kaur. Shortly after they entered, the National Anthems of both the countries were played and the two leaders and the select audience stood in rapt attention.

Among those who attended were US Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, External Affairs minister S M Krishna, National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and others.

The ceremony which was scheduled to be held on the lawns of the White House, was shifted to the East Hall because of rain.

And from CNN:

Citing India’s importance, President Barack Obama on Tuesday called it fitting that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should be the first official state visit of his young presidency.

“This reflects the high esteem in which I and the American people hold your wise leadership,” Obama said in a welcoming ceremony for Singh at the White House East Room. “It reflects the abiding bonds of respect and friendship between our people, including our friends in the Indian-American community who join us here today.”

The president and first lady Michelle Obama welcomed Singh and his wife, Gursharan Kaur, outside on the South Lawn, but they went indoors because of the weather.

Singh said India and the United States “are separated by distance, but bound together by the values of democracy, rule of law and respect for fundamental human freedoms over the years.”

The two leaders will discuss a range of global, regional and bilateral issues, the White House said. Those discussions are likely to center on Afghanistan, climate change and nuclear energy cooperation. Singh has been quoted as saying that a Taliban victory in Afghanistan would be disastrous for Central and South Asia.

His visit comes amid his country’s continued tense relationship with nuclear rival Pakistan, regional concerns over the Afghan war and the burgeoning trade relationship between the U.S. and India. It also follows about a year after the deadly terror attack on the Indian city of Mumbai.

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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greets Mrs. Gursharan Kaur during a State Arrival ceremony in the East Room of the White House for the Prime Minister of India, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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