New Delhi: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau began a week-long state visit to India on Saturday night.
The Prime Minister was welcomed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport by Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh and Indian Ambassador to Canada Vikas Swarup.
Trudeau has been deliberately snubbed at every step of his state visit, a result of his actively courting Khalistani elements back home in Canada. Trudeau had refused to meet Amarinder Singh, the elected CM of Punjab under pressure from his Khalistani colleague.
Last year on April 30, Trudeau addressed a parade for ‘Khalsa Day’, which glorified Sikh militant leaders like Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Amreek Singh and former general Shahbeg Singh who were killed in the siege of the Golden Temple and Operation Bluestar in June 1984.
In his bilateral meeting with Trudeau on the sidelines of the recent World Economic Forum meeting in Switzerland, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked Trudeau to curb the rise of pro-Khalistan groups in Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family left for Agra for a visit to the iconic Taj Mahal. The 46-year-old Prime Minister, who once remarked that he had more Sikhs in his cabinet than PM Narendra Modi, is accompanied by a chunk of his cabinet ministers. This trip, he said, was focused on creating jobs and strengthening the “deep connection” between the people of the two nations.
Mr Trudeau is accompanied by his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and children Hadrien, Ella-Grace Margaret and Xavier James Trudeau. “For me to be able to be here on an official trip while bringing my kids with me to share this is really special and being able to enjoy this as a dad with my kids is really nice,” Mr Trudeau said after the visit to the Taj Mahal.
Tomorrow, Mr Trudeau, who is on his first state visit to India, will fly to PM Modi’s home state, Gujarat. Besides a visit to Mahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram on Monday, Mr Trudeau will also visit the Akshardham Temple in Gujarat and lead a discussion at the Indian Institute of Management on “Education and Investment Opportunities” with students.
Over the rest of the week, Mr Trudeau will participate in business round-tables in Mumbai to promote trade, investment and job creation. He will also meet representatives of Indian Film industry to explore opportunities in the field of cinema.
His bilateral meeting with PM Modi is scheduled for February 23, during which the two leaders are expected to focus on trade, defense, civil nuclear cooperation, space, tackling climate change energy and education.