'Guest is God': Trump arrives to crowds and dance in India

U.S. President Donald Trump landed in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad on Monday to a raucous reception, at the start of a visit during which the two sides will aim to reset relations that have been buffeted by a trade spat.

Emer McCarthy reports.

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in India on Monday (February 24) to a raucous reception.

Crowds of tens of thousands roared "Namaste Trump" at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, as he promised them a, quote, "incredible" new trade deal.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "I am pleased to announce that tomorrow, our representatives will sign deals to sell over $3 billion in the absolute finest state of the art military helicopters and other equipment to the Indian armed forces." The rally was a larger version of the "Howdy Modi" event the two leaders attended in Houston last year to a crowd of 50,000 Indian Americans.

India and the U.S. have built close ties and officials say Trump's two-day visit is a sign of their converging interests, one being to counter China's rise as a superpower.

But the two sides did not manage to hammer out a trade deal ahead of the visit, arguing over markets such as dairy and poultry, along with issues such as data storage.

India is one of the few big countries where Trump's personal approval rating is above 50%.

Nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was re-elected last year, has shifted his country firmly to the right and touts his relationship with Trump a success.

Meanwhile, just 11 miles from where Modi and Trump will hold talks on Tuesday (February 25), a policeman was killed and dozens were injured in protests over controversial citizenship laws perceived to be anti-Muslim in New Delhi.

India's capital has been a hotbed of protests against the law for months, which eases the path of non-Muslims from three neighboring Muslim-dominated countries to gain Indian citizenship.

Trump has faced criticism from opponents at home for his immigration policies, some of which are also perceived to be anti-Muslim.