US President Barack Obama and wife Michelle before boarding the Air Force One at Palam airport in Delhi. (Agence France-Presse photo)
Hours after US president Barack Obama had waved goodbye and flown out of India, a joint radio show - Maan ki Baat - with Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aired on Tuesday evening. They answered questions on a number of issues, Mr Obama more than PM Modi, who also moderated the show. (
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"I have much greater faith in India and the United States, countries that are open information societies, in being able to succeed and thrive in this New Information Age; than closed societies that try to control the information that citizens receive," said President Obama. He talked about his daughters, his work and responsibility as POTUS and thanked PM Modi for his "strong personal commitment to strengthening the relationship between these two countries."
This morning, in his farewell speech, wrapping up a three-day visit, Mr Obama had said, "For all these reasons, India and the United States are not just natural partners. I believe America can be India's best partner. I believe that."
His wife and he then boarded Air Force One and were soon on their way to their next stop, Saudi Arabia. As he left India, President Obama tweeted,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, "Farewell! Your visit has taken India-USA ties to a new level & opened a new chapter. Wish you a safe journey."
In his powerful address to about 1500 people at Delhi's Siri Fort auditorium," President Obama made a strong appeal for religious tolerance saying, "India will succeed as long as it's not splintered along religious lines."
The speech was the finale of a packed visit which has seen a dramatic upturn in an often troubled relationship, including the signing of a new "friendship" declaration between President Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was till last year denied visa by the US.
On Monday, President Obama became the first US president to attend India's annual Republic Day parade, a show of military might that has been associated with Cold War anti-Americanism.
Both Mr Obama and PM Modi emphasised their personal rapport during the visit. PM Modi broke protocol to receive the Obamas at the airport on Sunday and greeted POTUS with a hug, They also held an intense one-on-one discussion over tea.
At their meetings, including an at-home at the Rashtrapati Bhavan yesterday, they were seen chatting easily. In speeches and also on their radio show, PM Modi addressed the US President by his first name
During the visit, the two sides sealed a clutch of deals to unlock billions of dollars in nuclear trade and deepen defence ties, and President Obama pledged $4 billion in investments and loans to release what he called the "untapped potential" of a partnership between the world's largest democracies.
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