PM Modi's Canada visit: Know what Congress, Shashi Tharoor have to say about the trip

New Delhi, April 17: At a time when the media is going gaga over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Canada visit and is saying that he is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Canada in 42 years, there are those who are refuting the claim.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday tweeted and said that this claim by PM Modi is not true and he should learn to respect facts.

Tharoor on Thursday tweeted, "Bizarrely @PMOIndia claims 1st visit by Indian PM to Canada in 42years! When will @narendramodi learn2respect facts?"

Adding more to it he also tweeted a link of a joint statement by former PM Manmohan Singh and his Canadian counterpart, Stephen Harper, signed on June 27, 2010 in Toronto.

"The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, visited Canada from June 26 to June 28 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Stephen Harper. During his visit, Prime Minister Singh participated in the G-20 Toronto Summit and held bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Harper," the joint statement said.

External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin also said, "It is a historic milestone in our bilateral ties as in 42 years. This is the first stand-alone bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister. Therefore, we are focused on setting a trajectory which will reflect in the discussions."

Manmohan Singh visited Canada for G-20 summit

This visit to Canada was the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 42 years where Modi met his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper in Ottawa.

Modi also reached out to the Indian diaspora in Toronto and Vancouver.

In June 2010, then prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh had also visited Canada in to participate in the G-20 summit.

But the present visit by Narendra Modi is the first standalone meeting in the last 42 years. Thus, Modi is the first PM in 42 years on a 'bilateral' visit.

Narendra Modi's visit to Canada

Turning a new chapter in its relationship with Canada, India clinched a multi-million-dollar deal for uranium to power its civilian nuclear programme for five years.

India also inked 13 agreements on skill development as Prime Minister Narendra Modi after talks with Prime Minister Stephen Harper sought Canada's "cooperation and investment in every area of India's national development priority".

Modi said Canada has the potential to be a partner in India's economic transformation and assured a "new environment in India, which is open, predictable, stable and easy to do business in".

OneIndia News

(With inputs from agencies)