U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a toast as he attends an Official State Dinner with India's President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan presidential palace in New Delhi January 25, 2015.Reuters 
U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama attend a home reception with several hundred Indian political and cultural figures at the Rashtrapati Bhavan presidential palace in New Delhi January 26, 2015.Reuters
United States President Barack Obama's second India visit was the most talked-about topic for the past three days in India and abroad for many reasons, including the breakthrough in the long stuck India-US nuclear deal.
However, certain glitches in the preparations for the Republic Day celebration and the banquet hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee were embarrassing for India.
At the banquet on Sunday, Obama had to ask for a glass to raise a toast after his speech. One of the guests present at the dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan told Hindustan Times that Obama was heard asking, "May I have a glass?"
Not only was the service at the dinner hall unsatisfactory, there was no arrangement for the toasting ritual that resulted in a rush soon after Obama finished his speech.
The officials at the presidential palace denied receiving any complaints, but agreed that "there could have been delayed service in one or two tables as the Rashtrapati Bhawan has only one kitchen and pantry".
The inadequate preparation reflected on Republic Day also. The US President and First Lady Michelle Obama and hosts PM Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee had to stand in the rain for about an hour during the parade.
The poor handling of the situation has actually prompted Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to call for a meeting on how to prevent such a situation in future.
"The minister wants retractable canopies to be put up in the 2016 parade so that the VVIPs and others are guarded against the elements. There was failure to act on the rain forecast that day and no effort made to install canopies in the VVIP block in the name of tradition," a top defence ministry official said.
But the biggest of all embarassments was a stray dog at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday. Multiple layers of security could not prevent the dog that managed to break through the cordon and wandered down the forecourt of the Rashtrpati Bhavan, much to the amusement of photographs.
The security arrangements took a toll when the road blocks on the way to Hyderabad House prevented several diplomats and ministers, including External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Indian ambassador to the United States S Jaishankar, joint secretary in the prime minister's office (PMO) Jawed Ashraf and joint secretary (Americas) Vinay Kwatra, from reaching to the venue for the official level talks.
The mismanagement by security personnel was shrugged off by the Delhi police and security agencies, who claimed that the glitches were the result of lack of coordination between ministry of external affairs protocol and the Delhi police.
