New Delhi: The White House on Saturday confirmed the cancellation of US President Barack Obama's visit to Taj Mahal in Agra on January 27. As per the initial plan Obama was to visit Taj Mahal along with the US first lady Michelle Obama on January 27.
Obama will leave India after his address at Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi on the morning of January 27 to meet the new king of Saudi Arabia.
King Abdullah passed away on Friday and his brother Salman has been declared the new king.
Obama's cancellation comes as a major embarrassment for India as elaborate preparations had been made to welcome the US President and the first lady. A team of 600 people had been mobilised to clean Taj Mahal in Agra ahead of Obama's Tuesday visit to the historical monument.
Apart from cleaning white lines on the roads, authorities had been rounding up stray dogs, clearing cows from the streets, and had also ordered a lockdown around the complex.
Obama will on a three-day visit to India from January 25-27. He will be the official "chief guest" at the 66th Republic Day parade. He is the first US President invited for the event.
Obama will be accompanied by a sizable delegation that will include several top officials, as well as First Lady Michelle Obama, when he arrives in New Delhi on Sunday morning, the White House has said.
The US President will be joined in India by multiple members of his cabinet, influential business leaders and a host of US lawmakers, including Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader of the US House of Representatives during the trip.
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