Smarting from his party's midterm elections defeat, President Barack Obama is turning his attention abroad. His 10-day trip to Asia, the longest of his presidency, is a chance to refocus his energies away from the political battles of Washington and onto what may be the most important region of the 21st century. He has planned stops in India, Indonesia, South Korea, and Japan, a democracy-heavy itinerary -- which, in light of an increasingly assertive Beijing, is hardly an accident. Here, a Mumbai billboard seen Nov. 4 is being readied to welcome the president.

INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images

123456789NEXT