WASHINGTON:Ahead of President Barack Obama’s India visit, the US has asked Pakistan to ensure that there is no cross-border terror incident during the trip and subtly warned of “consequences” if any such attack is traced back to the country reports the Times Of India.
The US and Indian security agencies are taking extra care for Obama as he will be on an open air platform at Rajpath for more than two hours, witnessing the parade.
The warning has been issued keeping the track record of Pakistan-based militant groups that have carried out attacks in India coinciding with high-profile visits from the US. Militants had shot dead 36 Sikhs in March 20, 2000, in Anantnag district in Kashmir, coinciding with the visit of the then US President Bill Clinton to India.
The US forces in Afghanistan are also keeping a close eye on the activities of the terrorist groups in the region. The US embassy in Pakistan too has been alerted. Ahead of the presidential trip, there is an unprecedented level of intelligence sharing between India and the US.
Almost 1,600 American personnel, mostly from security agencies, are expected to be in India for the visit of President Barack Obama for the Republic Day. This is double the number of US officials who came to India during the US President’s last visit in 2010.
US security delegations have been landing in India for the past few weeks, since the time Obama’s visit was confirmed in November. An advance American delegation that was in India this week to prepare for the President’s visit has told their Indian counterparts that almost 1,600 personnel would be involved in Obama’s visit. Most of them would be security and intelligence personnel from agencies such as the US secret service and CIA.
In 2010, during Obama’s visit to India the total number of officials involved were around 800. “This time President’s engagements are significantly outdoors and more complex than his past visit,” one official told the media. Last time, some 40 aircraft were involved in ferrying officials and secure vehicles for the President’s visit.
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