Obama to arrive in India on Diwali night

WASHINGTON: Save some of those firecrackers if you are a fan of Barack Obama and/or a votary of better India-US ties: The American President will arrive in India on Diwali night, at the tail-end of the festival of lights.

The White House has advanced President Obama's visit to India by two days, according to sources. He will now be landing in India on the night of November 5, flying most likely into Mumbai first.

He is scheduled to address a US-India Business and Entrepreneurship Summit in Mumbai on November 6 and pay homage to victims of the 26/11 terrorist attack before flying up north.

As reported in these columns, Obama will also make a day-trip to Amritsar on November 7 before he touches New Delhi for a formal ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Although the schedule could change, he is expected to address a joint session of Parliament on November 8 before leaving for Indonesia on the second leg of his four-country tour.

In fact, Obama will leave Washington DC on the night of November 4 soon after the mid-term Congressional election where many pundits are predicting severe reverses for the Democratic Party. He will be away from the US for almost 12 days, one of the longest tours during his presidency, touching India, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea, before returning to Washington DC on November 14.

The four-country visit involves major US friends and allies at a time when there is concern in Washington and Asian capitals over China's assertive stance.

The trip, for now, also excludes Pakistan, Washington's notional ally, which typically agitates for a visit whenever US presidents travel to India, and is peeved if that does not happen.

First Lady Michelle Obama is expected to accompany him on at least the first leg of his tour to India, contrary to earlier reports. But their children, Malia and Sasha, are likely to miss out on a holiday they were reported to have looked forward to, because they will not be allowed to miss school.

Obama will be the sixth American President to visit India after (in preceding order) Presidents Bush, Clinton, Carter, Nixon and Eisenhower.