"I think that he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and his government understand that not successfully resolving some of the concerns that have been raised about press access could have an impact on the coverage of the president's trip," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters.
"That's certainly something that we want to work hard to avoid, and I'm confident that our partners in India will want to avoid that too," he said.
Obama would be in India from January 25 to January 27, during which he would be attending events in New Delhi including the Republic Day Parade on January 26 and a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra the next day.
Neither Earnest nor reporter gave specific details of the press access issues, but it is understood that they are pushing for full access to all the events related to the US President.
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There is a long established tradition of a pool of White House correspondents -- trailing the President round the clock, which is sent to all WHCA members.
Noting that the talks are still going on with Indian officials, Earnest hoped that it would be resolved during the trip.
Notably during the last India trip of the US President in November 2010, the then White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs had blocked the door from being closed by the Indian security officials and threatened to walk away with Obama from the venue as some of the White House press pool reporters were denied entry.
"We want to make sure that you and your colleagues have the opportunity to get some access to the President and get a good sense about what the president's doing when he is representing the United States of America on foreign soil," he said.