Several US ministers to accompany Obama to India

WASHINGTON: Several members of the Barack Obama Cabinet would accompany the US President to India when he travels to Mumbai and New Delhi next week, even though in a break from the past tradition the Secretary of State would not join him, the White House said on Thursday.

Obama would be travelling to India from November 6 to 9, during which he would visit Mumbai and New Delhi and hold a series of public and official meetings.

Prominent among those accompanying the US President would include Tom Donilon, the new National Security Advisor; the Commerce Secretary, Gary Locke; the Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack; and Raj Shah, Administrator of USAID.

Shah is the highest-ranking Indian American in the Obama Administration.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is expected to be there for a part of the trip.

There would be no official business delegation travelling with the President, however, a number of key American CEOs would travel to India on their own.

He would have meetings with them in Mumbai.