The Beijing Olympic flame arrived in New Delhi in the early morning of Thursday on the second leg of its relay in Asia as it makes its way to Beijing.

Jiang Xiaoyu (left), vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of Olympic Games holds the flame lantern. (Photo: BOCOG)

The Olympic flame, carried in a specially-designed lantern on a chartered plane, was flied to New Delhi from Islamabad, Pakistan.

Upon arrival, the Olympic flame and the whole delegation were welcomed by a cheering crowd, among whom are President of India Olympic Committee Kalmandi and Chinese Ambassador to India Zhang Yan.

The flame delegation is headed by Jiang Xiaoyu, vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of Olympic Games, who carried the flame lantern. A Indian girl offered a bunch of flowers to Jiang.

The Olympic torch relay, the first time for New Delhi, will start Thursday afternoon along three-kilometer-long Raji Path between the Indian Gate and the Indian Presidential Palace. 70 torch bearers will take part in the relay.

Indian ace tennis star Leander Paes speaks during a press conference on Beijing Olympic torch relay in New Delhi, India, April 16, 2008.

(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2008)