By Arun Kumar and Manish Chand
Washington, Nov 24 (IANS) President Barack Obama rolled out the red carpet Tuesday for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the first official state visit of his presidency with a state greeting in the White House.

Chilly, damp weather forced the White House to move the ceremony indoors where Manmohan Singh and Obama stood before photographers and television cameras in the East Room as a Marine band played the national anthems of both countries.

Welcoming the prime minister Obama said: “Mr. Prime Minister, yours is the first official visit of my presidency and it is fitting that you and India be so recognized.”

Citing the two countries’ shared history of struggle against imperialism, Obama told Manmohan Singh: “As the world’s largest democracies, we can keep faith with our common values: speaking out and standing up for rights and dignity to which all human beings are entitled.”

“This is the India that America welcomes today, a leader in Asia and around the world. These are the challenges we are summoned to meet in partnership,” Obama said.

Singh in turn told Obama: “My wife and I are deeply honoured to be in your great country on the first state visit of your presidency.”

“We seek to broaden and deepen our strategic partnership and to work with the United States to meet the challenges of a fast-changing world in this 21st century,” he said pledging to help pursue the goal of “a world free of nuclear weapons.”

“Mr. President,” Manmohan Singh Singh said, “we deeply appreciate your strong personal commitment to our bilateral relationship.”

After the formal welcome, Obama took Manmohan Singh for a half hour meeting at the Oval Office, while Michelle Obama hosted spouse Gursharan Kaur at tea in the Yellow Oval Room.

Obama will meet with Manmohan Singh through the day, then treat him and his wife to a formal state dinner for 400 under

a tent erected on the South Lawn.