Trip reflects Barack Obama's commitment to deepen Indo-US ties: Susan Rice

WASHINGTON: While President Barack Obama was busy doing "walk the talk" and "chai per charcha" with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his top aides were frantically using social media about their once-in-a-life experience of visit to India and their attending the colourful Republic Day Parade.

Leading the flock is the National Security Adviser, Susan Rice, who has been using the micro blogging site twitter much more than she does while in Washington.

Greeting people of India with "Jai Hind" the moment she landed at the Palam Airport in Delhi, Rice said this trip reflects Obama's commitment to deepen US ties with India and take the partnership to a new level.

"Honoured to be with President Obama, the first US President to be #India's Republic Day Chief Guest," Rice tweeted moments after she arrived at the Rajpath along with the President to watch the Republic day Parade this morning.

Excited to be with President Obama in #India to celebrate Republic Day – Jai Hind!

— Susan Rice (@AmbassadorRice) January 25, 2015

Making a couple of tweets after Obama paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the Raj Ghat, Rice said this and Modi's visit to the Martin Luther King Memorial are reminders of the shared values and principles between the American and Indian people.
"Gandhi's light and legacy live on in our lives. His practices & principles are an inspiration to civil rights movements in US and around world," Rice said as she continued tweeting at frequent interval throughout the day.

#Gandhi's light & legacy live on in our lives. His practices & principles are an inspiration to civil rights movements in US & around world.

— Susan Rice (@AmbassadorRice) January 25, 2015

In one of her tweets, she said the US is grateful to India's role in the international community's effort to use diplomacy to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Ahmedabad-born Nisha Desai Biswal, the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, twitted early this morning "Happy Republic Day India!".

Twitting a picture of Obama-Modi at the Hyderabad House, Biswal said: "Chai pe charcha a productive conversation."

Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes was sharing details of the agenda of Obama-Modi talks.

"Agenda for today's meeting with PM Modi will include defense cooperation, clean energy/climate, civ-nuclear, counter-terrorism, economy," he tweeted.

Senator Mark Warner, Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, who is among the four lawmakers accompanying Obama on the trip, posted pictures from the State Dinner hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee in honour of Obama.

"Looking forward to the India Republic Day Parade. Tremendous honour to help commemorate India's Constitution," tweeted Congressman Ami Bera, Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.

He is the only Indian-American in the US Congress. "Honoured to fly on Air Force One to help represent US & #CA07 in India. Glad local @BlueDiamond served on flight!" he said.

Obama, who has 53.7 million followers on Twitter, hasn't used the microblogging site so far.

However, Prime Minister Modi with 9.69 million followers has taken off some time from his hectic schedule to reflect on the visit of his special guest.

"My meeting with President Obama was very fruitful. We are committed to taking India-USA relations to the next level, benefitting our Nations," Modi twitted.