India expects substantive outcomes from discussions between US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the former’s three-day visit the which begins on January 25, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said on Thursday. India expects President Obama’s visit to strengthen ties across the “full spectrum of relations between our governments and ties between our people and institutions,” the spokesman added.

“From our perspective, the US is a key partner for capital, technology, knowledge and skills in our development path. It is also potentially an important source of clean energy technology and hydrocarbons.

“It is an important partner is defence technology and counter-terrorism and is an important factor in our space security and cyber security programmes,” the spokesman said. “The US is also a partner in our quest for a rule based open international trading and economic order. All these issues are likely to be the basis of our discussions during the bilateral meeting,” he added.

Meanwhile, in a departure from the last time that the US President visited India, the Prime Minister is unlikely to receive the visiting dignitary at the airport.

“You are aware that in state visits, it is usual protocol for a minister to receive a dignitary and the usual protocol (is) being followed,” the spokesman said in response to a question on whether Modi will go to the airport.

Piyush Goyal, the Minister of State for Power, Coal, and Renewable Energy, will be the minister-in-waiting for the US President. In November 2010, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had gone to the airport to receive the US President and the First Lady on the second leg of their four-day visit. The President had travelled from Mumbai to Delhi.

Published on January 22, 2015