Warm welcome for Kosygin

New Delhi: Soviet Prime Minister Alexei Kosygin was given a warm welcome by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and a large gathering as he stepped down from the aircraft bringing him to India at 1 pm at the Palam airport.

Kosygin is on a week’s state visit.

Lyudmila, daughter of the Soviet Prime Minister, stepped out of the aircraft immediately after Kosygin.

Gandhi received Kosygin with a warm handshake and escorted him to a special shamiana where deputy Prime Minister Morarji Desai, other Cabinet ministers, members of Parliament, Service Chiefs and diplomats were introduced to the Soviet Premier.

Kosygin was garlanded by mayor of Delhi Hansraj Gupta and several admirers. Lyudmila was given a bouquet.

As Kosygin moved along the special enclosures, children waved the Indian tricolour and Soviet flags and showered rose petals on him carrying red banners of welcome, they raised cries of “Kosygin Zindabad”, and “Long live Indo- Soviet friendship”.

Earlier, Kosygin took the salute and inspected an inter- services guard of honour. The band played the national anthems of the Soviet Union and India.

After the airport ceremonies, the Soviet Premier, accompanied by Gandhi, drove to Rashtrapthi Bhawan. As the mortorcade passed through the 12mile route, thousands of people at various points lustily cheered Kosygin. The streets were decorated with welcome banners and flags of India and the Soviet Union. Big portraits of Kosygin had been put up at many traffic islands on the procession route.