Madison Square Garden spot for India's Modi on US visit
source:BBC
Traditional dancers perform at Madison Square Garden
Thousands
of Indian-Americans have gathered at Madison Square Garden in New York
for a speech by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He is on his first visit to the US since being elected this
summer, when the US lifted a visa ban brought in on grounds of religious
intolerance.The former chief minister of Gujarat has always denied wrongdoing during deadly riots against Muslims in 2002.
He is due to meet President Barack Obama and top US business leaders.
Analysts say Mr Modi's visit has generated huge excitement among Indian-Americans who believe that he could help to portray India as a rising global power.
Images of Mr Modi beamed down on the crowd
Modi supporters brandished posters of their man
Dancers warmed up the crowd
Narendra Modi visited the 9/11 Memorial in New York on Saturday
Speaking in Hindi from a rotating platform measuring 15m (yds) across, he told the crowd that the 21st Century was "Asia's century".
During his four-day visit, Mr Modi is expected to meet Mr Obama in Washington, and will see top leaders of Fortune 500 companies, including Google, IBM, GE and Boeing.
Delhi and Washington have strong security and trade ties, but relations deteriorated in recent months.
India's refusal to sign a global trade deal, a row over alleged American surveillance on the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a diplomatic spat involving an Indian envoy to the US are among some of the issues causing tension.
On the first day of his visit, Mr Modi used a speech to the UN to renew his country's call for reform of the Security Council.
India has long lobbied for a permanent seat on the Security Council.
Mr Modi also said he wanted peace talks with Pakistan but insisted it must create an "appropriate atmosphere".