PM’s Press statement during the visit of Prime Minister of Canada to India

Your Excellency, The Right Honourable Prime Minister Trudeau, Distinguished Delegation Members, Friends from the Media, I am pleased to welcome Prime Minister Trudeau on his official visit to India. Although,as Prime Minister this is his first India visit, however, he had visited India in 1983 with his father Mr. Pierre Trudeau, the then Prime Minister of Canada. Mr. Prime Minister your visit was long awaited. We are delighted that you have come with your wife and children. We are also delighted that you have visited several Indian cities prior to our today’s meeting. My visit to Canada in 2015 was the first bilateral visit of any Indian Prime Minister in 42 years. I had visited Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa during the visit. I experienced the love and affection of the people of Canada towards India. I believe that Prime Minister Trudeau would have also experienced the warmth and natural brotherhood towards Canada in India. He would have experienced the diversity of our country and the vibrancy of our democracy. Friends, India places high importance in taking forward its strategic partnership with Canada. Our relations are based on democracy, pluralism, supremacy of rule of law and mutual contacts. India and Canada can work together in every sector: from trade and investment to energy; from science and innovation to education and skill development; and from oceans to the space. In our today’s meeting, we reviewed all aspects of our mutual relations and identified the solid measures for increasing the mutual cooperation. First of all, we agreed to strengthen our security cooperation. Terrorism and militancy are a threat for democratic and pluralistic society like India and Canada. It’s important for us to come together to face these forces. There should not be any place for those who use community for political purposes and for creating rift. Also, those who challenge the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of our countries cannot be tolerated. Prime Minister Trudeau and I have agreed to fight terrorism and militancy. Our NSAs have also met earlier. They have finalised the Framework for Cooperation on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism. Friends, We have also reviewed our economic relations. We have agreed that we will further deepen the economic relations between Canada and India. India’s rapid and constant economic growth and economic reforms provide ample opportunities. Canada’s pension fund continues to be a powerful partner in India’s infrastructure development. It’s essential to provide for an institutional mechanism for our economic partnership. In this context, we have instructed our negotiators to double their efforts to finalise a Bilateral Investment and Promotion Agreement and a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement. Today we will also get an opportunity to talk to the CEOs of both the countries. Canada is an important destination for Indian students for higher studies. Today, more than one hundred and twenty thousand Indian students are there in Canada. The MoU on higher education which has been renewed today will helpfacilitate the increased movement of students and teachers of both the sides. In order to increase the movement of skilled professionals and to facilitate their movement, I have requested the Prime Minister Trudeau. Both our countries will benefit from this and it will make the economy of Canada more competitive. There are ample opportunities in our technology partnership. Our scientists and researchers have been discovering the new technologies and systems and these will have a positive impact on both the countries – Canada and India. Canada was a partner country in the Technology Summit, 2017. Our governments have also agreed to strengthen the cooperation in the field of information and communication technology. Canada has been an energy super power and it can meet our growing energy requirements. Today we have decided to expand our energy dialogue and to prepare the contours of the future of our energy partnership. The strength of our cooperation in the field of atomic energy is being reflected in the unhindered supply of uranium. Today, we have been adding nuclear science, technology and innovation to our cooperation.\ Friends, My friend Prime Minister Trudeau and I have exchanged our ideas on the regional and global situation. The situation in Afghanistan was discussed in detail. There is a clear need to help the government and people of Afghanistan in facing the challenges of cross-border terrorism and for making a peaceful, safe, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan. Our views are similar on the issues of the freedom of navigation in Indo-Pacific; on the dangers of the links of proliferation related to North Korea; and on the restoration of democratic institutions in Maldives. We have agreed to strengthen the cooperation in the field of establishment of peace and also on giving special attention for capacity building in the third countries. Friends, People-to-people contact is the solid base for our strategic partnership. India is proud of the achievements of Indian community in Canada. I’m delighted to note that the Prime Minister has brought several of them along with him in this visit. We are committed for building friendship and harmony with the Indian community in Canada and we want their active participation in India’s progress and development. Mr. Prime Minister, India-Canada is a natural partnership of shared values. I wish for a stronger partnership between the two countries and hope for a bright future for both the countries becauseof this. Thank you.