PHOTOS: Namaste Obama! India readies to welcome US President

Indian artist Harwinder Singh Gill displays his creation, an image of US President Barack Obama carved on a duck’s egg shell, with the national flags of India and United States, ahead of Obama’s visit to India. Photograph: Munish Sharma/Reuters

Kite-maker Jagmohan Kanojia displays kites, with portraits of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama, ahead of Obama’s visit. Photograph: Munish Sharma/Reuters

A worker places an American flag on a flag pole in New Delhi ahead of the historic visit by the US President. Photograph: PTI photo

Students in Siliguri, West Bengal, wear masks and make posters welcoming Barack Obama to the country. Photograph: ANI/Twitter

However, it was not all a warm welcome. Members of the Communist Party of India–Marxist staged a protest against the US president’s visit in Chennai. They alleged that the visit of Obama was only aimed at getting favours for the American corporates by "compromising" the interests of Indian public sector units. Photograph: Karnal Kishore/PTI photo

An employee ties threads on a kite, with portraits of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama, ahead of Obama's India visit. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/ Reuters