An advance team of senior officials from the U.S. President’s personal secretariat is here to discuss various protocol and security measures during Barack Obama’s trip here in November.
The U.S. team, comprising officials from the protocol, security and press departments of President’s secretariat, held a meeting with senior officials in the government, sources told PTI here on Tuesday.
They said the Indian team comprised among others officials from Home Ministry, including officials from Delhi police and the protocol department.
The U.S. officials have apprised the Indians of their security requirements in the meeting held on Monday in Hyderabad House, they said.
Mr. Obama is visiting India in November and besides New Delhi, will travel to Amritsar and Mumbai, where he is expected to pay tribute to victims of 26/11 terror attacks. In Amritsar, the U.S. President will be visiting the Golden Temple.
Meanwhile, a series of high-level meetings starting from this week with the visit of Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao to that country is slated to set the agenda for Mr. Obama’s visit.
Ms. Rao will meet several senior officials in Obama administration, including Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns, who is expected to visit India next week.
The two sides, which are looking at a big idea or big ideas to frame Mr. Obama’s visit, will also work on ironing out irritants created by recent U.S. positions both on outsourcing and visa hike.
While Indians are not happy with the U.S. hiking the H1-B and L1 visa fee and one of its States, Ohio, imposing a ban on outsourcing, the Americans, too, have their gripes and expect their concerns to be addressed, including those on nuclear liability Bill, which was recently passed by Parliament.
