Obama seeks to improve ties with India

President Barack Obama tried to soothe bruised Indian feelings with a glittering state visit dinner and assurances of the world's largest democracy's "rightful place as a global leader".

"The relationship between the US and India will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century," Mr Obama declared - twice - during a White House news conference with Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh.

The two appeared before reporters in the East Room after an elaborate morning welcome ceremony that was moved indoors by rain and about two hours of private talks in the Oval Office.

The day-long White House extravaganza in India's honour was capped with the day's most buzz-worthy event: the first state dinner of Mr Obama's presidency.

The black-tie party for more than 300, featuring a mostly vegetarian meal of curry prawns, aged basmati rice, eggplant salad, lentil soup, potato dumplings and other delicacies served under a giant tent on the South Lawn, was Washington's premier must-have invitation.

Menu, decor and attendance details - each designed to celebrate Indian culture and delight Indian guests - were kept tightly held until just hours before guests arrived in their finery.

In a dinner toast, Mr Obama said: "We celebrate the great and growing partnership between the US and India."

"Tonight under the stars, we celebrate the spirit that will sustain our partnership, the bonds of friendship between our people," the president told the large assemblage of political and cultural figures from both nations.

The Obamas sought to add their own flair to the evening, as they have with all their entertaining since they took over the White House in January.

Marcus Samuelsson of the award-winning New York City restaurant Aquavit was brought in to help prepare the food alongside White House chefs and two Oscar-winners topped the entertainment line-up, American Jennifer Hudson of 'Dreamgirls' and Indian AR Rahman of 'Slumdog Millionaire'.

Lunch at the US State Department was in high demand too, hosted for Mr Singh by vice president Joe Biden and secretary of state Hillary Clinton and attended by scores of politicians and others.

"You're the hottest ticket in town," Mr Biden said to the Indian leader.

From the playing of national anthems to repeatedly glowing remarks, to the last dinner toast, there was one theme: India is top on the priority list for America.

With relations taking a back seat since their heyday under former President George Bush, it was a message Indians had wanted to hear even before Mr Obama took a just-completed trip to Asia, where he bypassed an India stop and paid much homage to the rising global power of China.

India and China have a strong trade relationship, despite a disputed shared border. And talking of an enhanced role for China in Asian or global affairs - as Mr Obama did repeatedly while in Shanghai and Beijing - raised hackles in India.

Mr Obama has also lavished attention on Pakistan since taking office 10 months ago, hoping to boost Pakistani co-operation in the fight against al-Qaida and other extremists along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Pakistan and India are nuclear-armed rivals that have fought two wars since their 1947 independence from Britain, bitterly divided over the disputed Himalayan Kashmir region that they both claim.

But the president refused to be drawn into the tense India-Pakistan relationship when quizzed about the effect of US military aid to Pakistan by an Indian reporter.

Mr Obama said "it is not the place" of the US to try to resolve the conflicts from the outside. But he said America would do what it can to ensure both Pakistan and India felt secure and able to address the needs of their citizens.

One of Obama's first promises at Mr Singh's side was to visit India next year.

He also touted India as a key partner on a range of crucial global issues and said he and Mr Singh agreed to "work even closer" on sharing information between law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

The two leaders glossed over a dispute about commitments to reduce the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming in advance of next month's 192-nation climate change summit in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Developing countries argue that rich countries produced most of the heat-trapping greenhouse gases on their march to development and therefore should bear the main burden of fixing the problem.

Wealthy nations like the US and Europe say all countries - including large polluters India and China - must agree to broad cuts in emissions.