NEW DELHI, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing Olympic flame arrived here in the early morning of Thursday on the second leg of its relay in Asia as it makes its way to Beijing. 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.

Jiang Xiaoyu (L in front), executive vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG), displays the lantern which holds the Olympic flame together with Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi (R in front) upon arrival in New Delhi, capital of India, April 17, 2008. New Delhi is the 11th leg of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay global tour outside the Chinese mainland

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.

Chinese Embassador to India Zhang Yan (L in front) displays the lantern which holds the Olympic flame together with Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi (R in front) at an airport in New Delhi, capital of India, April 17, 2008