Namaste Trump: India to spend Rs 1.5 crore a minute during US president's Ahmedabad visit

In less than a week, India will be hosting US President Donald Trump who will be accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump.

New Delhi is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the Trumps get a royal welcome. Rs 120 crore is being spent for a 3-hour visit of Trump to Ahmedabad. That's Rs 1.5 crore a minute that the US president spends in the Gujarati city. 

Hotel prices in Ahmedabad too have skyrocketed with celebrities and industrialists wanting to be a part of the 'Namaste Trump' extravaganza.

Watch | Gravitas: The Cost of Donald Trump's visit to India

Reports suggest a 10-member all-women team led by an IPS officer will assist Melania during her stay. They have been instructed on cyber monitoring and security aspects. They have been told to wear trousers and blazers instead of the traditional khaki.

Also read: Several Indian-Americans to accompany President Trump during India visit

Trump and Melania will also visit the Taj Mahal on February 24 before reaching New Delhi for a series of official meetings a day later.

Trump will also inaugurate the world's largest cricket stadium which is nearing completion in Ahmedabad. The Motera Stadium will seat over one lakh people.

Preparations are also underway for a grand 22km-long roadshow and a parade that promises to be fit for kings.

Meanwhile, Trump has signalled that a trade deal with India might not be on the agenda during his visit to India next week, saying that he is saving "a very big" US-India deal for later.

"We can have a trade deal with India, but I am really saving the big deal for later, maybe before elections. But we will have a very big deal with India," Trump said while talking to reporters.