Ceremony at start of visit by President Bush

(2 Mar 2006) AP Television 1. US President George W. Bush's car arriving at Rashtrapati Bhavan (presidential palace) 2. Bush walking onto podium in plaza at Rashtrapati Bhavan 3. Wide of the guard of honour 4. Mid shot Bush on podium 5. Wide of Indian and American ministers and officials 6. Various of President Bush inspecting the guard of honour 7. Bush being introduced to Indian ministers and officials 8. Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam being introduced to US ministers and officials 9. SOUNDBITE (English) George W. Bush, US President: "Coming up to this majestic building was breathtaking and the horses that led us in added great elegance to this welcoming ceremony. It's an honour to be here. I have never been to India before and I have been looking forward to this trip for a long time. I am looking forward to working with the President and the Prime Minister to foster a very important relationship. Again want to thank the president, and Prime Minister, thank you sir for such a grand opening reception. And also thank you for arranging such beautiful weather." 10. Wide of Rashtrapati Bhavan 11. Bush shaking hands with President Kalam and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh 12. Wide of leaders walking away 13. Wide of guard of honour in front of Rashtrapati Bhavan 14. President Bush and Prime Minister Singh shaking hands and posing for photographers at Hyderabad House, venue of talks 15. Cutaway security on roof 16. Bush and Singh waving and walking into building for talks POOL 17. Helicopter flying overhead at memorial to India's independence leader, M.K. Gandhi 18. Assembled press 19. Various of President Bush and his wife, Laura laying wreath at memorial to India's independence leader, M.K. Gandhi 20. Various of the Bushes tossing flower petals on the cremation platform 21. Close-up of flame on cremation platform STORYLINE : US President George W. Bush was formally welcomed to India by President APJ Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmoham Singh at a ceremony at New Delhi's imposing presidential palace on Thursday. Bush, who arrived after sundown on Wednesday, is the fifth US president to visit India, which is home to more than 1 billion people and has the world's second-largest Muslim population. Seeking to warm relations with the world's largest democracy, Bush praised his Indian hosts amid last-minute haggling in search of a nuclear deal with New Delhi. "Coming up to this majestic building was breathtaking and the horses that led us in added great elegance to this welcoming ceremony." Bush said after a colourful arrival parade in a sun-drenched plaza at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the colonial-era palace. "It's an honour to be here," Bush told Indian officials. From under a red canopy outside the massive sandstone-coloured building, the US president heard the American national anthem and reviewed troops of the Indian armed services outfitted in striking dress uniforms and about a dozen members of a cavalry unit on horseback. Bush and his wife, Laura, then visited a memorial to India's independence leader, M.K. Gandhi, standing in stocking feet for a moment of silence and wreath-laying at the site where he was cremated in 1948. Following tradition, the Bushes tossed flower petals on the cremation platform. It was the start of a more than 12-hour day of events and meetings and the first full day of Bush's first visit to India. The centrepiece were crucial talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Some lawmakers in Washington contend that the Bush administration is making a side deal to the NPT. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...