Ahmedabad: US President Donald Trump began his first official visit to India on Monday with a grand and colourful welcome at the airport here.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was at the airport to receive President Trump and First Lady Melania as they alighted from their aircraft Airforce One. Mr. Modi welcomed Mr Trump with a warm hug and handshake as they walked on the red carpet.
Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani were also present at the airport to welcome the visiting dignitaries.
Festivity was in air as dancers and music troupes were lined up at the tarmac to accord a colourful welcome the US President who is accompanied by his daughter Ivanka, son-in-law Jared Kushner, both senior advisors, and a 12-member high-level official delegation.
Prime Minister Modi escorted Mr Trump and Melania to their official vehicle ''the Beast'' and the motorcade meandered its way through the airport and on to the roads in Ahmedabad.
The US President's two-day visit will begin with a visit to Sabarmati Ashram here and then to the world's largest cricket stadium at Motera for the ''Namaste Trump'' event.
While Prime Minister Modi had arrived in Ahmedabad in the morning to welcome the visiting US President, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had on Sunday reviewed the preparations for the 'Namaste Trump' event to be held at the reconstructed Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera here which can accommodate nearly one lakh people.
The event would be addressed jointly by President Donald Trump and PM Modi.
Over 14,000 security personnel have been deployed for the two events.
Mr Shah, who is also the president of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA), that owns the Motera Stadium, would also remain present during the Namaste Trump event.
He also visited the stadium, spread over 60 acre of area, and took stock of the arrangements for the visit. Several performances would also be given by reputed artists including Sufi singer Kailash Kher and Gujarati folk singer Kinjal Dave.
During the road shows, artists and cultural troupes have been stationed to give the glimpses of India's diverse culture from 28 stages erected en route to represent all the states of the country
