PM Modi Meets Canadian PM Trudeau on Sidelines of WEF

File photo of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

(Photo: Reuters)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will visit India on a state visit beginning 17 February. The visit will end on 23 February, according to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who met Trudeau on 23 January on the sidelines of World Economic Forum in Davos, said that he was “delighted” to meet him.

Economic Relations Secretary Vijay Gokhale, addressing the press, said that Trudeau was looking forward to visiting India in February.

As you know, Canada PM Justin Trudeau has been invited to make a state visit to India, he said he is looking forward to India visit. Canada’s PM will come with his family, a business delegation and some members of Parliament.

Vijay Gokhale

A statement released by the MEA, regarding Trudeau’s visit said:

The visit is aimed at further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries in key areas of mutual interest including trade and investment, energy, science and innovation, higher education, infrastructure development, skill development and space. Cooperation in security and counter-terrorism as well as exchange of views on global and regional issues of mutual interest will also form important components of the visit.

"India and Canada share a strategic partnership underpinned by the values of democracy, pluralism, equality for all and rule of law. Strong people-to-people contacts and the presence of a large Indian Diaspora in Canada provide a strong foundation for the relationship," the statement further added.

The statement by the Ministry of External Affairs has put to rest months of speculations regarding Trudeau’s India visit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a bilateral visit to Canada in April 2015. The last visit by a Canadian Prime Minister to India was in 2012.

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