India, Ontario sign MoU for cooperation in 'Geology and Mineral Resources'

New Delhi, July 9 (ANI): India and Ontario, a Canadian province, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost cooperation and investment in the field of 'Geology and Mineral Resources' in Toronto.

The MoU was signed between Union Minister of Mines and Development of North Eastern Region B.K. Handique and the Minister of Mines with the province of Ontario Government, Canada, Michael Gravelle in the presence of Indian and Canadian officials on Thursday.

"The MoU will promote investment in the field of mining and mining related activities, mineral exploration and exploitation and to encourage and foster mining investment, transfer of technology in areas of interest and joint ventures in India and Ontario. We are formalizing a framework of cooperation concerning geology and mineral resources on subjects of mutual interest," said Handique speaking on the occasion.

"During the recent visit of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to Canada, an MoU was signed on June 27, 2010 with the Canadian Federal Government to take advantage of the Canadian expertise in mining technology," he added.

Handique further said the relationship between Canada and India s deep rooted and multidimensional

"Shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations, shared role as global peacekeepers, a mixed economy that encourages entrepreneurship and market role while recognizing social responsibility - we, in India, describe it as liberalization and globalization with a human face in the words of Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, an abundance of natural resources and above all, strong and proud multicultural fabric of citizens, are just some of the commonalities of our two nations," said Handique.

"We in India are particularly attracted to the Canada's multicultural framework as the foundation of the Nationhood. We In India have been keeping track of the nation's effort for a more than a decade since 1971 till 1988 culminating in the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, 1988 for preserving cultural mosaic of diverse ethnic groups. Time has proved that it is not the conflict of a 'melting pot' as practiced elsewhere, but it is a 'salad bowl' with all the pieces of the ensemble in the glass bowl in a spirit of reaching out and inclusiveness and each identified entity contributing together to make the nation great," he added.

Handique said through this MoU, both India and Canada are poised to promote investment in the field of mining and mining related activities, mineral exploration and exploitation and to encourage and foster mining investment, transfer of technology in areas of interest and joint ventures. (ANI)