**President Obama is due to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Washington in what will be the first state reception of his presidency.**White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the elaborate welcome showed that the US leader viewed relations with Delhi as being “very important”.
The talks are expected to range from Afghanistan and climate change to nuclear energy co-operation and trade.
Mr Singh began his visit to America on Monday.
He is being received with pomp and ceremony which far exceeds that enjoyed by any previous foreign visitor to Mr Obama’s White House, the BBC’s Richard Lister in Washington says.
Relations ‘cooled’
Mr Obama’s presidency has been dominated by Afghanistan and Pakistan and his recent trip to Beijing underlined his respect for China’s growing power, he says.
“Any premature talks of exit [from Afghanistan] will only embolden the terrorist elements”
Manmohan Singh
Indian Prime Minister
But he adds that Tuesday’s reception at the White House aims to allay Indian fears that America’s relations with Delhi have been allowed to slip since George W Bush’s presidency.
India hopes the talks will see the finalisation of the civilian nuclear deal with the US.
Last year they signed a civilian nuclear co-operation accord to end 34 years of US sanctions.
Delhi gains access to US civilian nuclear technology and fuel in return for inspections of its civilian, but not military, nuclear facilities.
Raising the issue of Afghanistan, Mr Singh warned ahead of the talks that a victory for the Taliban in Afghanistan would be a catastrophe for the region and the world.
“Any premature talks of exit will only embolden the terrorist elements who are out to destabilise not only our part of the world but civilised world everywhere,” Mr Singh said.
Crackdown on militants
His comments come as Mr Obama is finalising a decision on whether to send additional US troops to Afghanistan.
Mr Singh also expressed his concern about the spread of Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorism to Pakistan’s heartlands.
He urged the Obama administration to put pressure on Pakistan to crack down on militants in the country.
In Washington, the two leaders are also expected to sign a memorandum of understanding on climate change which has been one of the most controversial issues on their agenda, our correspondent says.