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In the nuclear field, there is robust cooperation between India and Canada. A deal has been inked and Canada has already started supplying uranium
With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau set to visit India late 2017 or early 2018, Canada is keen to cement stronger strategic and economic ties.
Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, a Indian-origin Sikh who has served in the Canadian army in Bosnia and Afghanistan, will arrive in a fortnight on what is described as “an exploratory visit”.
“We are already cooperating in training and several other aspects. There are MoUs on defence research and development,” said Canadian High Commissioner to India, Nadir Patel, also a person of Indian descent, in a chat with members of the Indian Association of Foreign Affairs Correspondents (IAFAC).
Canada is learnt to be keen to collaborate with India in defence electronics and land warfare technologies.
In the nuclear field, there is robust cooperation between India and Canada. A deal has been inked and Canada has already started supplying uranium. “Beyond that, our companies are coming here to look for ways to expand cooperation in sectors like reactor technology, waste management and reactor safety,” said Patel. Canada is a strong supporter of India becoming a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
Patel pointed out that India and Canada have four ongoing strategic dialogues, and that seven ministers in the Trudeau cabinet have visited India in the last eight months. Moreover, “Delhi is our largest diplomatic mission in the world,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Canada in April 2015 when Stephen Harper was the prime minister. That was the first stand-alone visit to Canada by an Indian prime minister in the last 42 years.
Bilateral trade, though only $8 billion, is largely balanced. “There is potential to do a lot more,” said Patel. There are around 1,000 Canadian companies in India, of which 400 are physically present. Canada is keen to cooperate with India in food security, aviation, start-ups and clean energy programmes. They are also keen to have a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India.
There are about 1.2 million people of Indian origin in Canada. Of them, 5,00,000 hail from Punjab and 3,00,000 from Gujarat. Canadian Parliament has 19 members of Indian origin, four of whom are in the cabinet.
