President Donald Trump, with first lady Melania Trump, board Air Force One during departure, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. Trump is traveling to India. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Hours before his arrival in Ahmedabad, US President Donald Trump Monday tweeted in Hindi that he is eager to meet the people of India. Trump, who is expected to touchdown Ahmedabad in less than to hours, tweeted, “Eager to land in India. We are on our way, see you all in a few hours.” Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is at the Ahmedabad to welcome Trump, replied to the US President saying, “Athithi Devo Bhav! (Guests are like God).”
हम भारत आने के लिए तत्पर हैं । हम रास्ते में हैँ, कुछ ही घंटों में हम सबसे मिलेंगे!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 24, 2020
Trump is accompanied by his wife Melania Trump and daughter Ivanka Trump. The Trump convoy is scheduled to land at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 11:40 am, following which he will address the ‘Namaste Trump’ event at Motera stadium at 1 pm where he will be accompanied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Following the event, the US President will leave for Agra. Thereafter, he will travel to Delhi where he is expected to wrap up issues related to trade and defence.
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Setting the stage for the two-day visit, which will cover the Taj Mahal in Agra and bilateral talks in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted Sunday that “India looks forward to welcoming” the US President. “It is an honour that he will be with us tomorrow, starting with the historic programme in Ahmedabad!” he tweeted.
In Ahmedabad, the billboards, artistes and stages, apart from thousands of local residents, will greet Trump on the route from the airport to Sabarmati Ashram, where he is expected to spend about 10 minutes to mark the first visit by a US President. He will then head to the newly rebuilt 1.1-lakh capacity Motera cricket stadium for the Namaste Trump event.
This is Trump’s first India visit since assuming office. Besides the multi-layer security cover, elaborate arrangements have been made by the Delhi Police, including placement of double barricading on all the roads on which Trump’s convoy is likely to pass, PTI reported, adding that aerial surveillance of the route will also be conducted as part of the security measures.