Look forward to meeting Trudeau and his three kids: PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he was looking forward to meeting Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau, who is in India on a seven-day state visit.


"I look forward to meeting PM Justin Trudeau tomorrow and holding talks on further strengthening India-Canada relations in all spheres. I appreciate his deep commitment to ties between our two countries," tweeted PM Modi.



Modi and Trudeau will engage in talks on a host of issues, including defence and security, counter-terror cooperation, trade and investment and tackling climate change. Both sides are also expected to deliberate on enhancing cooperation in civil nuclear sector.

The Prime Minister added that he was keen to get reacquainted with Trudeau's three children - Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien - whom he'd first met during his visit to

Canada

back in 2015.

"I hope PM Justin Trudeau and his family had a very enjoyable stay so far. I particularly look forward to meeting his children Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien. Here is a picture from my 2015 Canada visit, when I'd met PM Trudeau and Ella-Grace," Modi said in another tweet.



Tomorrow will be the first time the two leaders come face to face since Trudeau landed in New Delhi last Saturday. Modi and Trudeau last met on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos last month.

The Canadian PM has had a busy schedule over the last few days as he flitted from one city to another with his wife and three children in tow. Trudeau attended business conferences, made a mark on Bollywood and toured temples, mosques, the Taj Mahal in

Agra

and the

Golden Temple

in Amritsar during his India visit so far.

Over the course of his visit, the Canadian PM has been dogged by speculation that he has been snubbed by PM Modi, who was notably absent since Trudeau touched down in India on Saturday evening.

Furthermore, controversy has overshadowed the 46-year-old PM's maiden state visit to India, owing to his administration's perceived support for Sikh separatists.

Trudeau's categorical assurance that Canada did not sympathize with the Khalistan movement and his ardent support for "one united India" came to naught when a photograph surfaced of his wife Sophie Gregoire alongside convicted Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal at an event in Mumbai.

An unwitting dinner invitation extended to Atwal, later rescinded by the Canadian side, caused another scandal on the eve of Trudeau's meeting with PM Modi.

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