Taj trip included in Barack Obama's itinerary
Saurabh Shukla
Headlines Today accessed the details of elaborate arrangements that will be in place to guard Obama. He will be accompanied by US first lady Micehlle Obama and their daughters Malia and Sasha.
Earlier, Obama's daughters Sasha and Malia were not to be part of the trip. But sources revealed that Michelle's opinion prevailed and now the girls would accompany the first American couple to India.
The US president will make a historic trip to the Taj Mahal along with his family. His visit is historic in terms of logistics which is the largest ever for a visiting US president.
Elaborate security arrangements
The presidential entourage will have 40 aircraft, including the Air Force One that will ferry the president. There will be six armoured cars, including four Barack Mobiles and a Cadillac.
Cadillac is equipped with a mini communication centre to enable Obama to be in touch with the White House, US vice president and the US strategic command. It also has the US nuke launch codes and it can withstand a chemical or germ warfare and a bomb attack.
Two secret service command posts will be set up in Delhi and Mumbai to act as the communication nerve centres. These will monitor the president's movement with real time satellite monitoring.
Three Marine One choppers will be reassembled in India to ferry the president and his family and to evacuate them in case of any emergency.
Oct. 27, 2010