The Narendra Modi-led government has appointed Union Coal, Power and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal as the minister-in-waiting for United States President Barack Obama’s three-day visit to India starting January 25.
Obama will arrive in New Delhi on January 25 to take part in Republic Day celebrations on the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will be the first US president to attend a Republic Day celebration, the White House said. Obama, who visited India in 2010, would also be the first US president to visit the country twice while in office.
As the ‘minister-in-waiting’, Goyal will accompany Obama during his stay in India. He will receive Obama at the airport when he arrives in India. He will also be at the airport to see him off when his Air Force One’ departs.
Minister-in-waiting plays an important role in establishing good bilateral relations between the nations and serving as minister-in-waiting to the US president is an important role in itself.
Back in 2010, when Obama made a visit to India, it was Salman Khurshid who served as minister-of-waiting for the US president.
