Thaindian News

By Gina Gomez
Mumbai, Nov 6, (THAINDIAN NEWS) United States President Barack Obama landed in the international airport of Mumbai on Saturday afternoon amidst tight security. The commercial capital of the country is going to be the first halt of the united States president on his four-day trip to India which would be followed by his trip to New Delhi. The private jet of the President Barack Obama Air Force One arrived in the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport just before 1 p.m. today with a number of dignitaries waiting for the United States president to greet him.

As the President Barack Obama and his wife First Lady Michelle Obama landed in the Mumbai airport, he was greeted by Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan who was accompanied by Union Minister for Minority Affairs Salman Khursheed who is going to be the minister-in-waiting along with Meera Shankar, the Indian Ambassador in the US. Soon after he landed in the airport, President Barack Obama boarded a Black Hawk helicopter which took him to an Indian naval base in south Mumbai. Later, the United States President also visited the 26/11 memorial in the Taj Hotels, where he would be put up along with his 3000-person entourage.

Chairman of Tata Group Ratan Tata, who owns the Taj chain of hotels, took President Barack Obama around the iconic hotel after the United States President paid a visit to the Tree of Life memorial at the Taj. The American Commander-in-chief later stated that Taj has emerged as a ’symbol of determination and resilience of the people of India.’ Moreover, the U.S. President also added that by staying there he wanted to spread the message that ‘we want our people secure.’