Prime Minister Stephen Harper welcomes Indian Prime Minister Singh

June 18, 2010

OTTAWA – Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that he will welcome Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, for a bilateral visit on June 27, 2010, immediately following the G-20 Summit.
 
“Canada and India are developing the tremendous potential of our relationship by rapidly expanding commercial, cultural and educational ties,” said Prime Minister Harper.  “I look forward to working with Prime Minister Singh to further capitalize on our shared strengths."
 
During their meeting, Prime Minister Harper and Prime Minister Singh will also discuss regional and global issues of shared interest.
 
Prime Minister Singh’s visit builds on the successful visit by Prime Minister Harper to India in November 2009.


Backgrounder

Canada-India Relations

Canada and India have a relationship based on shared values of democracy and pluralism and a mutual interest in expanding trade.  Prime Minister Stephen Harper's visit to India in November 2009 and 15 ministerial visits to India since 2006 have moved the Canada-India relationship into a new, transformative stage.  
 
This level of engagement is deepening and broadening bilateral relations across a wide range of sectors, including education, energy, science and technology, culture, agriculture and the environment.  Canada and India launched a Memorandum of Understanding to launch a Joint Study Group to formulate the parameters of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).  Negotiations on a nuclear cooperation agreement have also been concluded.

Further, Canada opened trade offices in Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad in 2009, raising the total number of Canadian missions in India to eight, creating one of our largest networks abroad.

In terms of multilateral engagement, Canada and India have been partners in the response to the global financial crisis and economic downturn.  Both countries have co-chaired the G-20 Working Group on Enhancing Sound Regulation and Strengthening Transparency and the Working Group on the G-20 Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth.  In addition, Canada is committed to stability in South Asia, including in Afghanistan, where India also maintains a large assistance program.
 
Canada and India enjoy strong people-to-people links through a diaspora community of nearly one million Indo-Canadians.  Indo-Canadians form a solid foundation for relationships at all levels between India and Canada.  We are building more and new forms of links between higher education and research institutes, attracting students and building bridges to the future leadership communities in both countries.
 
India’s role and responsibility as a major actor on the world stage continues to grow.  As host of the G-20 in June 2010, Canada is working with India to ensure a durable recovery and to develop growth models that benefit both countries.
 

Trade and Investment

Merchandise trade between Canada and India totaled some $4 billion in 2009, an increase of 70 per cent from 2004.  Exports increased by nearly 150 per cent in the same period.  In 2009, Canada's main export products were vegetables (mostly peas and lentils), fertilizers and machinery.  Imports from India for the same year were valued at $2 billion and consisted principally of organic chemicals, knit apparel, woven apparel and precious stones and metals (primarily diamonds).
 
According to Statistics Canada, two-way foreign direct investment (FDI) between Canada and India reached record levels in 2009, standing at $3.6 billion.  The stock of FDI in Canada from India totaled nearly $3 billion.  Recent major investments by Indian companies in Canada will increase this number. The stock of Canadian FDI in India stood at $601 million in 2009. .