The tone of the meeting and the day was set by the inaugural address at the celebrations, where the announcer recited a poem by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpaaye, titled “Kadam Mila Kar Chalna Hoga”, or “We will walk together.”
Indian Republic Day celebrations typically include march pasts by various military regiments along Rajpath Road, with leaders cutting across party lines lining the road. Besides a display of military might and weaponry, the parades also include floats depicting India’s diversity and culture. This year’s parade saw a greater focus on these displays, which include some of the government’s recent schemes and policies for manufacturing revival and girl child .education. The parade is also being noted for the strong presence of women officers in regiments. In fact, Obama’s Guard of Honor was led by a woman.
The parade included Modi, “Make in India” initiative and the Gujarat government’s 182-meter high Sardar Patel statue project. Also on the cards were the government’s cultural initiatives such as the AYUSH float, which featured people performing yoga postures called asanas. This could be part of Modi’s push for major International Yoga Day celebrations.
The previous day, both leaders announced a breakthrough in the civil nuclear cooperation deal, first brought to the table in 2006 by previous leaders Bush and Manmohan Singh. The deal had largely stagnated and no progressed was made thanks to and impasse on nuclear liability issues. But both Modi and Obama seem to have exerted influence to move things along, and the deal was announced, paving the way for US business to invest in Indian nuclear architecture. This will also allow Indian industry to take a leap forward in nuclear technology. “We are committed to moving towards full implementation,” Obama told a joint news conference with Modi. “This is an important step that shows how we can work together to elevate our relationship.”
Modi and Obama also interacted with top Indian and US CEOs, where Modi promised to make India an attractive destination for business by cutting down red tape and implementing a more competitive tax regime.
Modi and Obama seem to share a good rapport, reports CNN. Though Modi was denied a visa to enter the US because of complications in the 2002 Gujarat riots, after the two leaders first met in September last year, aides on both sides reported that there was an obvious chemistry since both leaders had a clear vision of where the two countries could move forward together.
Obama had visited India earlier in 2009, and had spoken of India-US relations being one of the “defining partnerships” of the 21st century. But teh stalled nuclear deal, a spat over an evicted Indian diplomat, and India’s declining growth rate strained the relationship. All that seems to be water under the bridge though now, with the two leaders moving ahead.
Modi and Obama made time to participate in a joint radio address on the night of January 26, which will be broadcasting on All India Radio, besides being webstreamed, on Monday, 8 p.m. IST (2.30 p.m. GMT). The address is part of “Mann ki Baat” or “My Thoughts”, a monthly address Modi makes to the nation. Modi tweeted the announcement with a photograph of him and Obama together: “Sharing our ‘Mann Ki Baat’ during the recording of the radio programme. Tune in on 27th January at 8 PM IST for the special episode! #MannKiBaat #Radio #USA #India.” In October last year, when Modi had visited the US, the two leaders had penned a joint editorial for the Washington Post.
