PM Narendra Modi welcomes Canadian PM Justin Trudeau: Highlights

NEW DELHI: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was today received by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. The two leaders will hold a bilateral meeting later in the day. The meeting comes in the backdrop of a row when Trudeau's wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, was photographed with a convicted pro-Khalistan terrorist, Jaspal Atwal, during an event in Mumbai on February 20. Here is a look at some of the highlights from PM Trudeau’s week-long visit to India.

* Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in India on February 17 for a week-long visit.
A day before his arrival, Trudeau tweeted - "Wheels up for India and a busy visit, focused on creating good jobs and strengthening the deep connection between the people of our two countries."

* Trudeau began his visit with a trip to the 17-century, Mughal-era monument Taj Mahal in Agra.

* On February 18, SGPC announced that it will accord a warm welcome to the Canadian Prime Minister during his visit to Amritsar's Golden Temple. Trudeau has come under criticism for his government's close association with pro-Khalistan groups based in Canada.

* After paying a visit to the Taj, the Canadian Prime Minister toured the Churmura Wildlife sanctuary in Mathura along with his family.
"@WildlifeSOS is doing important work rescuing captive Asian elephants across India, and giving them a new chance at life. Thanks for the very warm welcome at your sanctuary today," the Canadian PM tweeted.

* On Monday, Trudeau, his wife Sophie and children Xavier, Hadrien and Ella-Grace visited the Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, which was the residence of Mahatma Gandhi during the freedom struggle.
"A beautiful place of peace, humility and truth, that is as needed today as it ever was," Trudeau signed the visitor's book.

* Post his visit to the Sabarmati Ashram, Trudeau visited the Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar

* On Wednesday, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh confirmed in a tweet that he will meet the Canadian Prime Minister.
"Look forward to meeting Canadian Prime Minister @JustinTrudeau in Amritsar on Wednesday," he tweeted.

*"Heterogeneous society is the new reality and the biggest challenge is to understand how differences can become a source of strength --something that India and Canada have done fairly well and can do better," Trudeau said during his address to the students of Indian Institute of Ahmedabad.

* During the Gujarat-leg of his tour, Trudeau held a meeting with Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani and discussed various aspects of Gujarat-Canada relationship.

* Indian government denies report of snub to the Canadian Prime Minister and insisted normal diplomatic protocol has been extended to Trudeau. They also expressed surprise over the Canadian side preferring to schedule Trudeau's official engagements in Delhi at the fag end of the tour as against the normal practice of having bilateral meetings during the first part of such visits.

* On Tuesday, Trudeau held a meeting with industry leaders in Mumbai and said that corporate India has committed $ 1 billion worth of investments in his country, which will create over 5,000 jobs.

* Superstar Shah Rukh Khan and other B-town celebs on Tuesday met Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family.
"Tonight, we celebrated stronger ties & new co-production opportunities between Bollywood and the Canadian Film Industry. And who better to help than @iamsrk himself... Great to meet you!" He tweeted.
Apart from Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Farhan Akhtar, Anupam Khan and others also greeted Trudeau and his family at the event.

* On Wednesday, Trudeau offered prayers at the Golden Temple here, where he was presented with a traditional robe of honour.
"I am hopeful that this meeting will help strengthen the close Indo-Canadian business ties as well as the deep-rooted people-to-people relations between our two countries," he added.

* On Thursday, Canada cancelled dinner invitation to convicted Khalistani terrorist, Atwal, after he was photographed with Trudeau's wife and one of his ministers.
"Obviously, we take this situation extremely seriously," Trudeau told reporters in New Delhi.
"The individual in question never should have received an invitation and as soon as we found out we rescinded the invitation immediately."

* On Thursday, Trudeau spent his time in Delhi and visited the Mughal-era mosque Jama Masjid. The family also tried its hand at cricket in the company of two former Indian cricketers, Mohd Azharuddin and Kapil Dev.

* On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a day before his scheduled meeting with Trudeau, tweeted that he is looking forward to holding talks with the Indian PM.
"I look forward to meeting PM @JustinTrudeau tomorrow and holding talks on further strengthening India-Canada relations in all spheres. I appreciate his deep commitment to ties between our two countries," Modi tweeted.