Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make maiden official visit to Mumbai next week. The maximum city is to be the third stop on 46-year old Trudeau’s week-long mission to India, which will begin with a visit tour of the country’s most iconic monument, the Taj Mahal in Agra, said diplomatic sources.
Canada’s first couple, Mr. Trudeau and wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, are expected to participate in a series of events with college students, business leaders and high level political officials during their visit to the Maharashtra capital.
The second-youngest Prime Minister of the second-largest country in the world will reach Mumbai from Ahmedabad, where he is expected to visit Mahatma Gandhi’s one-time residence, Sabarmati Ashram. He will also engage students from the Indian Institute of Management and other local colleges in an armchair discussion on education and investment opportunities.
Top issues on Mr. Trudeau’s agenda are expected to include efforts to promote co-operation with India on gender equality, education, investment and climate change, said a diplomatic source who didn’t wish to be identified.
Business class
The official Canadian entourage will begin its meetings in the economic capital on February 20, with the Indo-Canadian Business Chamber and the Canada-India Business Council hosting a business forum. After engagements between CEOs from both countries and some of the six senior Ministers travelling with Mr. Trudeau, the Canadian PM will address the CEOs later in the day. “The Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with business leaders and participate in a women business leaders round-table conclave as an armchair discussion at the Canada-India Business Forum,” diplomatic sources said.
In 2017, bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and India amounted to $8.4 billion but was evenly stacked, with exports to and imports from India hovering around $4 billion each. India is now Canada’s eighth-largest destination for merchandise exports.
Sophie and Bollywood
While the Canadian PM will engage with industry captains, the First Lady, also known as Sophie Gregoire, will address students at the Sophia College For Women on issues related to women’s empowerment.
The emphasis on engaging with Indian students is not incidental: India contributes the second largest number of international students to Canadian universities. As many as 1.24 lakh students are estimated to have enrolled from India in just the last calendar year, said the source. “PM Trudeau is also expected to attend an event attended by members of the Indian film industry. A reception is likely to be held for him,” sources said.
After Mumbai, Mr. Trudeau is expected to visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the Jama Masjid, as well as a cricket pitch in New Delhi. Only after the tryst with Bollywood, cricket and India’s rich cultural motifs will the official leg of his tour begin in New Delhi, with a traditional welcome ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
