SPEECHES / STATEMENTS 

PM's opening statement at the Joint Press Conference with Prime Minister Harper of Canada

June 27, 2010, Toronto

Thank you, Prime Minister Harper, for your very warm words of welcome, and for your generous hospitality and friendship.

I would also like to congratulate you for your most successful chairmanship of the G 20 Summit.

I am extremely satisfied with my bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Harper today. Our discussions have carried forward the momentum that has characterized our relations in the last few years. India fully reciprocates Canada’s desire to intensify our bilateral relations in all areas. Prime Minister Harper’s visit to India in November 2009 was a major step in this direction.

Today, we have added fresh vitality and content to our cooperation.

The Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement that we have signed breaks new ground in the history of our cooperation in this sector. It reflects the change in international realities and will open new doors for mutually beneficial cooperation in nuclear energy.

We have identified renewable energy, clean technologies and energy efficiency as other priority areas of cooperation. The newly constituted Canada-India Energy Forum has already begun its work and has our full support. We have also decided to focus on mining and agriculture as the other priority areas of cooperation.

We have reaffirmed our resolve to achieve the annual bilateral trade target of 15 billion dollars within the next five years, and to encourage two-way flow of investments. The submission of the report of the Joint Study Group to study the feasibility of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement marks an important step in bringing our two economies closer together. We have directed our officials to examine the report and expedite the next steps.

The strong people to people links between our countries are a unique asset for both of us. We have agreed to intensify exchanges in the fields of higher education, culture, science and technology and innovation, so that together we can build the knowledge economy of the future.

My visit to Canada coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Kanishka air crash. This terrible disaster and the suffering it has led to will forever remain a stark reminder of the need for all of us to work unitedly to eliminate the scourge of terrorism. The victims of this tragedy deserve full justice.

I am convinced that a strong India-Canada partnership will facilitate solutions to global challenges such as energy and food security, sustainable development, climate change and the fight against extremism and poverty. Towards this end, we have agreed to promote and maintain a high level dialogue between India and Canada.

I reaffirm India’s commitment to strengthening this very important and key relationship.

Thank you.