Michelle Obama, left, as India Prime Minister Modi embraces

President Obama in what India media has dubbed 'The Hug.'

 

 

VIDEO DIARY: Obama's Visit through Indian Eyes (India Broadcasters)

 

News segments and programs provided by Headline News, NDTV, Rajya Sabha TV, The News Hour, Times Now, News X, Newsone, Bollywood Call, the India Prime Minister's Office, the India President's Office and the Indian Foreign Ministry.

 

January 27, 2015

 

United States - Worldmeets.US Video Package - (English)

As Vice President Joe Biden might say, President Obama's visit to India was a "Big Fu#@in' Deal." If the logjam in the civilian nuclear deal first negotiated by George W. Bush and former India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is now broken, as we are being told; and if the U.S. and India have now opened a new chapter in military cooperation as it appears, it will amount to a geostrategic earthquake, particularly for China and Pakistan. This is a video diary of President Obama's trip using exclusively English-language Indian media, including news segments, major press conferences; roundtable discussions with Indian analysts, journalists and talking heads, and video from Prime Minister Nerendra Modi's Office, which provided some remarkable high definition footage of various events, including the entire annual Republic Day Parade, at which President Obama was the first U.S. leader ever to appear.

 

Because we assume the event of greatest interest is India's 66th Republic Day Parade, we post that first. Provided by the Prime Minister of India's Office, the video, in glorious high definition, is narrated in English and Hindi. It runs for 2 hours and 17 minutes. VIDEO - Obama the Guest at 66th Republic Day Parade (India PM's Office):

 

 

Before we go any further, this program from India's Rajya Sabha TV offered a half-hour review of the history of U.S. relations with India from before the country achieved independence from Britain in 1947 up to today. It is interesting to note that despite its democratic credentials, India was a close ally of the Soviet Union until its collapse, with Pakistan acting as Washington's bulwark in the area: VIDEO - Special Report on the History of Indo-U.S. Relations (Rajya Sabha TV, India):

 

 

DAY ONE - January 25

 

So let's begin at the beginning. Breaking protocol and highlighting the significance of the visit to India, Prime Minister Nerendra Modi welcomed President Obama at the airport and tightly embraced him as he and first lady Michelle deplaned Air Force One. It has been dubbed by Indian commentators - "The Hug." Watch carefully though and you'll see that it was the president who pulled Modo in: VIDEO - Modi Welcomes Obama with Big Hug (NDTV, India):

 

 

Despite widespread excitement and warmth expressed over President Obama's visit, there were protests, including this one by the Communist Party of India: VIDEO: Communist Pary Cadres Protest Obama Visit to India (Newsone, India):

 

 

After President Obama arrived, he was welcomed by an honor guard and a carefully selected group of dignitaries at Rashtrapati Bhawan, the prime minister's official residence. This is a high-def video issued by Modi's office. From this one could see that New Delhi was pulling out all the stops. This is about 30 minutes: VIDEO - Obama, Modi Take in Guard of Honor at Rashtrapati Bhawan (India PM's Office):

 

 

Then India's External Affairs Ministry posted this segment of President Obama laying a wreath at the tomb of Mahatma Ghandi: VIDEO - Obama Visits Ghandi's Tomb (MEA India):

 

 

Then we have a 20-minute piece of footage without commentary of Obama and Modi walking in the garden at Hyderabad House, and then having tea out in the open before the assembled media. It's an interesting clip that really shows through body language that these men do indeed like one another a great deal. VIDEO - Obama and Modi Walk in Graden and Have Tea (Bollywood Call, India):

 

 

Then  if you would like to see the footage with commentary, Headlines Today delivers: VIDEO - Modi, Obama 'Walk the Talk' at Hyderabad House (Headlines Today, India):

 

 

Then, following events in sequence, President Obama and Prime Minister Modi held a press conference at which it was announced that the logjam in the civilian nuclear deal first signed by former President Bush and former Prime Minister Singh in 2008 had been broken. The main sticking point is an Indian law passed after the 1984 Bhophal disaster that would make American nuclear energy companies liable for related accidents in India, which is why little or no business has been conducted since the deal was signed six years ago. The press conference is notable for Modi's soaring rhetoric about what this and other aspects of Obama's trip mean. The event is entirely in English: VIDEO: Modi, Obama Press Conference in Delhi (India PM's Office):

 

 

Next up we have a Rajya Sabha TV news segment on  how the nuclear logjam was broken in terms of the liabilty for accidents in India: VIDEO - Breaking the Accident Liability Logjam (Rajya Sabha TV, India):

 

 

Then a 13 minute roundtable debate on the press conference from Rajya Sabha TV. It is hard to make out the names of the panelists (what they say about the U.S. and Britain is also true of the U.S. and India: two countries separated by the same language), but one is from the Times of India, there is a former ambassador, and an editor from India's Daily Express: VIDEO - Modi-Obama Press Conference Panel (Rajya Sabha TV, India):

 

 

Which brings is to The News Hour Debate. This program examines whether President Obama's visit and recent comments from U.S. leaders amount to a snub to Pakistan for being a lauching pad for terrorist activity. As I have written before, if you think Americans yell at one another, you will never believe this. The debate is "moderated" by Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, who is more like a prosecutor. He and his Indian guests relentlessly question the Pakistanis on the program about the country's involvement in terrorist activity, ask them how they "feel" about being snubbed by the world's leading power, and try and get them to admit that their country is a failed state. If you have the patience to watch, it is an extraordinary display. The panelists include two Pakistanis - former spokesman for Pakistan's former dictator General Musharraf and Defence Analyst and retired Major General Rashid Qureshi; the Indians are retired Major General and editor of the Military Review G. D. Bakshi; Times Now Consulting Editor in Strategic Affaris Maroof Raza; Convener of the ruling BJP Foreign Affairs Cell Sheshadri Chari; and retired Air Vice Marshall Abid Rao: VIDEO - Is Obama's Trip a  Major Snub for Pakistan? (The News Hour, Times Now):

 

 

Now, the question of who deserves credit for this breakthrough in Indo-U.S. relations has become a major political issue, with the Congress Party upset for not getting credit for the deal that was first signed by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with George W. Bush. Opposition Congress Party members remind that the now-ruling BJP voted against the deal on 2008, say that their achievement is being ignored and that people should't get carried away without reading the fine print of what has now been agreed to: VIDEO - Congress Complains that Nuclear Deal was Singed Over BJP Objections and that it Deserves Credit (Headlines Today, India):

 

 

Next is a News Hour Debate on who the end of the six-year-old nuclear logjam benefits most. This exchange again highlights sour grapes on the part of the Congress Party, which wants the credit for getting the deal signed in the first place. Chief prosecutor and editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami scolds Congress Party representatives relentlessly over this. Panalists include retired Major General and editor of the Military Review G. D. Bakshi; Consulting Editor for Strategic Affairs at Times Now  Maroof Raza; The National Secretary of the ruling BJP Siddharth Nath Singh; Cogress Party National Spokeman C.R. Kesavan; Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University's Center for Comparative Politics and Political Theory Kamal Mitra Chenoy; activist Satinath Sarangi; and Consulting Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses G Balachandran: VIDEO: Is Nuclear Deal a Win-Win for Both Sides? (The News Hour, Times Now):

 

 

Continuing with the theme and showing the significance of Obama's visit to Indian domestic politics, we have another News Hour Debate heaping scorn of the Congress Party. Once again, combative host Arnab Goswami relentlessly skewers Congress Party representatives for failing to accomplish what Prime Minister Modi's ruling BJP has. The program's description starts out with: 'Tonight, a bitter Congress asks questions about transparency over nuclear deal breakthrough, after its own policy paralysis left the deal frozen for six years.' Panelists include Union Minister of State, Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Congress MP Manish Tewari; journalist Kumar Ketkar; BJP National Spokesman Nalin Kohli;  Shiromani Akali Dal member of the Rajya Sabha (upper House) Naresh Gujral; Former diplomat Rakesh Sood; and consulting editor of Strategic Affairs Maroof Raza: VIDEO - Narendra Modi Outdone Manmohan Singh (The News Hour, Times Now):

 

 

Next are segments that relate to Beijing's reaction to what could bring greater U.S. influence right up to China's long and disputed border with India. First, a segment of India's News X: VIDEO - Wary China Paints Obama the 'Villain' (News X, India):

 

 

Then, a four minute News X roundtable on whether warming U.S.-India ties are aimed at China: VIDEO - 'Improving Indo-U.S. Ties not Aimed at Countering China' says BJP (News X, India):

 

 

Then a 14-minute roundtable from Headlines Today on China's reaction, which highlights a statement from Beijing that: "there is no need for India and the United States to concern themselves over the South China Sea": VIDEO: China Tells U.S.-India No Need to Worry About South China Sea (Headlines Today, India):

 

 

Finally for January 25, India President Shri Pranab Mukherjee's speech on the eve of Republic Day. This has nothing to do with President Obama or the United States, but it does reflect that India is a great nation with deep traditions and great patriotism as well. If you have gotten this far, you might find it worth watching: VIDEO - President Shri Pranab Mukherjee's Address on Eve of Republic Day (India President's Office)

Posted By Worldmeets.US

 

 

DAY TWO - January 26

 

Day two began with President Obama's much-heralded attendence at the 66th Republic Day parade, where he was the first American head of state ever to appear - although Bill Clinton was once invited but couldn't make it. Obama was out in the open for hours - which must have been worrying for the Secret Service, since up to now, Obama hasn't been out in the open for more than 45 minutes at a time. You will note the preponderance of female-led military units at the parade, which is part of a new push in the country to better the situation for Indian women and improve the nation's image after a string of scandals surrounding the rape of Indian and foreign women. Posted by the Prime Minister of India's office, the video in glorious high definition is narrated in English and Hindi. It runs for 2 hours and 17 minutes. VIDEO - Obama the Guest at 66th Republic Day Parade (India PM's Office):

 

 

Then we have a post parade interview with former Deputy National Security Advisor Leela Ponappa from Rajya Sabha TV: VIDEO - Post-Parade Wrap-Up with Leela Ponapp (Rajya Sabha TV, India):

 

 

Next, Obama attended a state banquet in his honor and made comments to the audience. This is footage and commentary of the event from Headlines Today: VIDEO: Obama Addresses Guests at State Banquet (Headlines Today, India):

 

 

President Obama was then whisked to the prime minister's residence Rashtrapti Bhavan for what India calls an "at home" - which must have given the Secret Service a conniption and a half: open air tea for Obama with tens of thousands people eager to shake his and first lady Michelle's hand: VIDEO - President Obama's in House at Rashtrapati Bhavan (NDTV, India):

 

 

Next on the agenda was the India-U.S. CEOs' Business Forum. Modi and Obama both addressed the group, and Modi promised he would 'personally monitor' all major projects and that India is looking for 'heavy investment in infrastructure and agriculture in India to boost purchasing power and grow the economy': VIDEO: Obama and Modi ad the India-U.S. CEOs' Business Forum (India PM's Office):

 

 

Then we have a post-meeting wrap-up from News X on what was said and accomplished at the CEO Summit: VIDEO - Obama and Modi Talk Business at the Taj Hotel (News X, India):

 

 

Then we have a panel on the economic consequences of the new India-U.S.parnership with a special focus on nuclear energy with General Atomics CEO Dr. Vivek Lall and a former director of the IMF, Dr. Arvind Virmani.: VIDEO - State of the Economy - Fallout of Modi-Obama Talks (Rajya Sabha TV, India):

 

 

Finally for January 26, this is the debate show of Headlines Today "Nothing But the Truth," where a discussion is held on what President Obama's visit has achieved. The host, senior journalist Karan Thapar, welcomes panelists former Ambassador to the United States Meera Shankar, Strategic Affairs Editor of the Business Times Ajai Shukla, Foreign Editor at the Hindustan Times Pramit Pal Chaudhuri, South Asia Bureau Chief of the Economist Adam Roberts, South Asia Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal Gordon Fairclough, and a former foreign secretary whose name we could not make out or confirm: VIDEO - Namaste Obama - What did the Visit Achieve? (Nothing But the Truth, Headlines Today):

 

 

And Part II:

 

 

DAY THREE - January 27

 

President Obama appeared on a nationwide radio program hosted by Prime Minister Modi. The program, Mann Ki Baat, is about a half hour long, and is in Hindi. English subtitles are provided and of course, Obama speaks English. The two men field questions from the audience and spend some time talking about their lives: AUDIO: Modi Hosts Obama on Nationwide Radio Program (Mann Ki Baat, India PM's Office):

 

 

The only other item on President Obama's schedule for January 27 before flying to Saudi Arabia to meet with that nation's new king was a speech at the Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi. The president spoke to an audience of mostly young people about the rapidity of change and the chances for people who are discriminmated against, including women and minorities, to achieve equality; the urgency of climate change; and the great potential of the United States and India to build greater ties of all kinds including greater buisiness ties: VIDEO: Obama Talks Equality at Siri Fort Auditorium (Times Now, India):

 

 

 

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Posted By Worldmeets.US January 27, 2015, 8:26am