Canadian PM Justin Trudeau to visit India next month

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make a state visit to India next month, responding to an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Trudeau is visiting India from February 17-23 at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, the external affairs ministry said in a statement.

Cooperation in security and counter-terrorism as well as exchange of views on global and regional issues of mutual interest will form important components of the visit, the ministry 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," the MEA said.

Canada is one of the uranium suppliers to India and the two nations also have a nuclear cooperation pact in place.

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

Canada is home to over 1.2 million Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) who comprise more than 3 per cent of its population.

Modi had made a bilateral visit to Canada in April 2015.

The last visit of a Canadian prime minister to India was in November 2012 when Stephen Harper had made a trip to the country.

PTI