A Year Of 'Modification' In India-U.S. Ties

More was yet to come. With India standing firm on its subsidised food security programme, the two agreed on a so-called "peace clause" that ultimately paved the way for a historic multilateral trade deal at the World Trade Organization.

Amid the growing bonhomie, Modi played another diplomatic card, inviting Obama to join India's Republic Day celebrations as chief guest in January - making him the first U.S. president to get the honour and the first to visit India twice while in office.

Modi's surprise whirlwind diplomacy earned him a spot in prestigious Foreign Policy magazine's list of "100 Leading Global Thinkers" while Time readers voted him as the "Person of the Year." But the editors of Time did not agree, and instead chose the Ebola fighters.

Meanwhile, despite stunning reverses for his Democratic party in the November Congressional elections, Obama issued an executive fiat to shield about five million of an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants, including over 450,000 Indians, from deportation.

In a nutshell:

* Year begins with India-U.S. ties at a low over the Khobragade Affair

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