After a bear hug, Obama gets down to business with Modi in India

In a glow of bonhomie, U.S. President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi worked on a series of bilateral agreements at a summit on Jan. 25 that both sides hope will establish an enduring strategic partnership.
   
Signalling his determination to take ties to a higher level, Modi broke with protocol to meet and bear-hug Obama as he landed in New Delhi earlier in the day. It was a remarkable spectacle given that, just a year ago, Modi was persona non grata in Washington and denied a visa to the United States.
   
After a working lunch that included kebabs made with lotus stem, figs and spices, the two leaders got down to talks to finalise possible agreements on climate change, renewable energy, taxation and defence cooperation.
   
Indian media reported that negotiators had struck a deal on civilian nuclear trade. The NDTV news channel said they had ironed out differences on suppliers' liability in the event of a nuclear accident and on tracking of material supplied.
   
The White House declined to comment on the reports and the spokesman for India's Ministry of External Affairs said only "we hope for a positive outcome at the end of the day".
   
Obama will be the first U.S. president to attend India's Republic Day parade, an annual show of military might long associated with the anti-Americanism of the Cold War, and will host a radio show with Modi.
   
His presence at Monday's parade at Modi's personal invitation is the latest revival in a roller-coaster relationship between the two largest democracies that just a year ago was in tatters.
   
"It's a great honour. We are grateful for this extraordinary hospitality," Obama said during a welcome at the presidential palace, where...