Donald Trump remains excited for grand reception in India as New Delhi tries to temper expectations

United States President, Donald Trump, appeared to have remained excited about the prospect of “seven million people” welcoming him and his wife, Melania Trump, on their arrival in Ahmedabad on Monday, even as no big-ticket deal is likely to be inked during what is going to be his maiden visit to India.

New Delhi, however, sought to lower his expectations about the size of the crowd. Foreign Secretary, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, saying that when the cavalcade of the US President and his wife would roll out from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad for a newly-built cricket stadium across the Sabarmati River, the road would have “tens of thousands of ordinary citizens” lining up to welcome them.

Trump and his wife will first land in Ahmedabad just before noon on Monday. They will also spend about an hour at Taj Mahal in Agra before arriving in New Delhi late in the evening.

“And (Modi) he told me we’ll have 7 million (70 lakh) people between the airport and the event,” Trump told journalists at Joint base Andrews in Maryland, US, on Wednesday.

Trump's appearance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a huge rally at the newly-built Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Cricket Stadium at Motera in Ahmedabad is going to be the only highlight for the US President's visit to India next week, as the much-anticipated trade deal has now been taken off the table.

“And, the stadium, I understand, is sort of semi under construction, but it’s going to be the largest stadium in the world. So it’s going to be very exciting. But he (Modi) says between the stadium and the airport, we’ll have about 7 (seven) million people. So it’s going to be very exciting. I hope you all enjoy it,” he added, before asking journalists who among them would be accompanying him on his tour to India.

The officials involved with preparation for the visit of US President are expecting altogether nearly one lakh – not 70 lakh – people were expected to line up along the road and attend the “Namaste Trump” event at the stadium in Ahmedabad.

The 2011 census pegged the population of Ahmedabad at 5.7 million.

A source in New Delhi said that one should understand the spirit of US President's remark about the prospect of seven million people welcoming him in Ahmedabad, instead of taking it literally.

The “Namaste Trump” rally planned at the newly-built stadium will be much like the “Howdy! Modi” event, which was held at NRG Stadium in Houston in US on September 22 last year with Trump and Modi appearing before a cheering crowd of nearly 50000 Indian-Americans. The rally will give Trump, who was earlier this month acquitted by the US Senate in an impeachment trial, an opportunity to reach out to Indian-Americans – not only the ones likely to be in attendance, but also the ones likely to watch it on TVs across the US eight months before he is about to seek re-election.

On their way from the airport to the stadium in Ahmedabad, Trump and his wife will see a panorama of diverse cultural heritage of India, as 28 stages representing the various parts of the country would be set up along the route, in what is being called the India Road Show, Foreign Secretary said. The route will also feature decorations depicting different events in the life of Mahatma Gandhi. “There will be public to greet President Trump outside the Motera stadium. Inside the new stadium, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi would address a full-capacity audience, which would include people from different parts of India and all walks of life, reflecting the diversity of India,” said Shringla.