President Obama will travel to India in January to participate in a ceremony marking the nation’s anniversary of the adoption of its constitution.
Obama accepted the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in the Indian Republic Day celebration in New Delhi, the White House announced on Friday.
{mosads}The visit marks the first time a U.S. president will attend the celebration, which commemorates the adoption of India’s constitution on Jan. 26, 1950.
During the visit, the president will meet with Modi and other Indian officials as part of an effort to strengthen and expand the U.S.-India strategic partnership.
Modi spent a couple of days in Washington at the end of September discussing a wide range of issues between the two nations.
During his three-nation swing through the Pacific Rim, Obama announced a breakthrough with India on a Trade Facilitation Agreement following months of intensive meetings.
The deal, which is expected to be completed in early December in Geneva, will streamline customs rules to move goods more efficiently across borders.
The agreement brokered by the World Trade Organization was supposed to be completed at the end of July but India and several other nations balked at signing a final deal that was worked out in Bali nearly a year ago.
Modi had argued that there needed to be considerations around food security issues.
Supporters of the deal say it could create 21 million jobs and produce $1 trillion in global economic activity.