Modi, Carney Unite Against Terrorism, Eye $50B Trade by 2030

He made the remarks during the joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney here in the national capital on Monday.

"We agree that terrorism, extremism, and radicalization are shared and serious challenges not just for both countries but for all of humanity. Our close cooperation against these is extremely important for global peace and stability. India's vision is clear when it comes to the several challenges which the world is facing. We have always called for maintaining peace and stability. And when two democracies stand together, the voice of peace becomes even stronger."

The remarks come after India-Canada ties had strained in the tenure of former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau with the diplomatic chill between the nations in 2023 when India expressed concerns over Canada's perceived leniency towards Khalistani separatist elements and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian agents were involved in the killing of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara the same year.

India had strongly rejected the allegations and termed them "politically motivated".

Earlier, Canada's premier intelligence agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), officially acknowledged that Khalistani extremists are using Canadian soil to promote, fundraise, and plan violence in India. In its annual report released in June last year, CSIS outlined some key concerns and threats to Canada's national security.

The Canadian intelligence agency CSIS report categorically stated, "Khalistani extremists continue to use Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising or planning of violence primarily in India.

The positive development between the two leaders comes as India had been raising concerns about Khalistani extremists operating from Canadian soil for years.

PM Modi thanked PM Carney for his deep commitment and foresight towards India and also hailed the growth of ties with Canada under the leadership of Prime Minister Mark J Carney and said that the two countries aim to further deepen their economic cooperation with the goal to touch USD 50 billion in trade by 2030. In this regard he further mentioned that Ottawa and New Delhi have decided to finalise a comprehensive economic partnership agreement in the near future.

"Today, we discussed transforming this vision into a next-level partnership. Our goal is to reach $50 billion in trade by 2030. Unlocking the full potential of economic cooperation is our priority. Therefore, we have decided to finalize a comprehensive economic partnership agreement soon", PM Modi said.

He said that later in the day the leaders will also meet the members of the business community whose suggestions will help lay the roadmap for economic cooperation between the two countries.

The Canadian Prime Minister arrived in India on February 27 for an official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This marks Carney's first official visit to the country, which began when he arrived in Mumbai. He will depart from India today following his engagements in the national capital.

The Canadian Prime Minister landed in the national capital on Sunday evening following the conclusion of a productive visit to Mumbai, marking the next phase of his official tour of India.

This visit comes at an important juncture in the normalisation of India-Canada bilateral relations, with the anticipated discussions on Monday focusing on key strategic and economic issues of mutual interest between the two nations.

- ANI