PM Modi's 'religion' comment a signal for Trudeau? Top 10 developments

After their meeting of nearly two hours, PM Modi and Trudeau addressed a joint media event and said they discussed the entire gamut of the India-Canada bilateral partnership

In the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that there is no place for misuse of religion for political and divisive purposes, sending a clear message at a time when Canada is perceived as having been soft on Khalistani terrorists.

Modi and Trudeau on Friday held extensive talks on crucial issues of counter-terrorism and extremism as well as ways to boost India-Canada trade ties. After the meeting, the two sides inked six pacts, including on energy cooperation. Trudeau was also greeted warmly by PM Modi, who went on to express his happiness at the Canadian premier's visit.    

After their meeting of nearly two hours, PM Modi and Trudeau addressed a joint media event. At the event, PM Modi said they discussed the entire gamut of the India-Canada bilateral partnership. 

Ahead of his meeting with Modi on Friday, Trudeau met with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and had a "warm meeting". Modi received Trudeau and his family at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. Greeting the visiting head of state, Modi gave Trudeau his famous bear hug. After being welcomed at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Trudeau and his family paid their tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. 

After his meeting with Modi, the Canadian Prime Minister will also meet the heads of India Inc at a roundtable event.

Trudeau's maiden India visit had plunged into controversy on Thursday because of a dinner invitation to convicted Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal by the Canadian High Commissioner to India. The invitation was subsequently rescinded.  

Here are the top 10 developments in the matter:  
 

1) Modi, Trudeau address joint media event post meet: On Friday, PM Modi and Canadian PM Trudeau witnessed the exchange of MoUs between India and Canada. 

After their meeting, Modi, while addressing a joint media event with Trudeau, said they discussed the entire gamut of the bilateral partnership.  

Amid speculation of a snub by India, Modi said Trudeau's visit was awaited for long and that India was happy that the Canadian PM visited along with his family. 

With the Khalistan issue being in focus during this visit, Modi said that he and Trudeau discussed many issues, including deference cooperation. The Indian Prime Minister added that terrorism and extremism were a threat to countries like India and Canada and that it was important for them to come together to fight these elements. 

"India lays great importance on taking its strategic partnership with Canada forward," said PM Modi. 

"Canada is an important destination for Indian students when it comes to higher education; more than 120,000 of our students are there. We renewed our MoU on higher education, which will enhance the exchange in terms of higher education," Modi said. 

Referring to ongoing crises around the world, Modi said that India and Canada had similar thoughts when it came to the situation in North Korea and the Maldives. 

Praising Canada as an "energy super-power", Modi said it could fulfil India's increasing energy demands. 

"There should be no space for those who misuse religion for political motives and promote separatism. We will not tolerate those who challenge unity and integrity of our countries," the Prime Minister said. 

Describing India-Canada ties as a "natural friendship", the Canadian PM said that as his country looked to diversify its own economy and looked for new opportunities to do business beyond its boundaries, India was a natural partner and a trusted friend for commercial cooperation.

2) Modi, Trudeau hold extensive talks on defence, counter-terrorism, and trade: Modi and Trudeau on Friday held extensive talks and discussed strengthening India-Canada cooperation in trade, investment, energy, education, healthcare, information technology, the start-up sector, science and technology, defence and security, tourism, and people-to-people contacts. 

After the talks, the two sides inked six pacts, including that on energy cooperation.

3) Sushma Swaraj has 'warm meeting' with Trudeau: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on Trudeau and discussed ways to deepen the India-Canada bilateral relationship. 

"Picture speaks for itself!" External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted along with a picture of the leaders smiling warmly as they shook hands. Kumar said Swaraj had a "warm meeting" with Trudeau "and discussed ways to strengthen and deepen our partnership". 

Earlier in the morning, Trudeau inspected a guard of honour at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, after which he and his family paid tribute to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. 

4) Trudeau finally gets Modi's bear hug: Earlier on Friday, PM Modi had met Trudeau, welcoming him with a hug, ahead of a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The warm welcome should put to rest speculations about the government giving the visiting dignitary a cold shoulder.  

After Trudeau, his wife Sophie, and children Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien alighted from a car on the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan. Modi shook hands with Trudeau and then hugged him.     

5) Justin Trudeau's full itinerary for Friday: On Friday, at 9 am, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to attend an official greeting ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. At 9:30 am, Trudeau is scheduled to participate in a wreath laying ceremony at Raj Ghat.

After that, at 10:15 am, Prime Minister Trudeau is scheduled to meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Finally, at 12 pm, Trudeau will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House. 
 

At 12:30 pm, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, Infrastructure and Communities Minister Amarjeet Sohi, Science and Sport and Persons with Disabilities Minister Kirsty Duncan, and Small Business and Tourism Minister Bardish Chagger will hold an expanded bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi.

After the bilateral meeting, at 1:15 pm, Prime Minister Trudeau will participate in an exchange of agreements ceremony with Prime Minister Modi and will deliver remarks.

Once his engagements with the Indian government are over, at 2:45 pm, Prime Minister Trudeau will participate in a roundtable with chief executive officers.

At 5 pm, Trudeau will return to the Rashtrapati Bhawan and meet with the President Ram Nath Kovind. 

6) Atwal posed with Trudeau's wife, got invitation for dinner with PM Trudeau: On Thursday, reports emerged that convicted Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal, who was active in the banned International Sikh Youth Federation, posed with Trudeau's wife Sophie Trudeau at an event in Mumbai on February 20. Further, Atwal was invited to a formal dinner with the Canadian Prime Minister, hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner, on Thursday in New Delhi. 

Subsequently, Canadian High Commissioner Nadir Patel cancelled Thursday night's dinner invitation to Atwal. Patel was hosting the dinner for the visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his delegation.  

"The High Commission has rescinded Mr Atwal's invitation. We do not comment on matters relating to the PM's security," the Canadian mission said in a statement.  

How serious was the issue? Atwal is no small fish; he had been convicted for the attempted murder of Punjab minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu on Vancouver Island in 1986. At the time of the 1986 shooting, he was a Sikh separatist active in the pro-Khalistan International Sikh Youth Federation. Atwal, along with three others, was convicted in 1987 for trying to kill Malkiat Singh Sidhu. 

7) Trudeau says Atwal should never have been invited: Canadian PM Trudeau on Thursday said the matter was being taken "extremely seriously". Stating that his government took the matter "extremely seriously", the Canadian Prime Minister said that Atwal "should never have received an invitation".   

"As soon as we received the info, we rescinded it. A Member of Parliament had included this individual (Atwal)," Trudeau explained. "The member of Parliament who included this individual has, and will, assume full responsibility for his actions," the Canadian Prime Minister added.   

Trudeau's Khalistani problem continues to dog him, while the Canadian media has said that he has been given the cold shoulder by the Indian government, even as the latter has denied any such speculation.   

8) Atwal no longer on MHA blacklist: While the controversy raged, officials told news agencies that Atwal's name no longer figured in the Home Ministry's blacklist of Sikh extremists. 

From time to time, the central government reviews the blacklist of Sikh extremists, taking into account intelligence inputs and activities of the persons concerned, a home ministry official said. Names of nearly 150 wanted terrorists and their associates were removed from the blacklist in the past few years, the official added. 

"Atwal's name no longer figures on the current blacklist," the official said. The review of the blacklist is always done in consultation with the Punjab government and central security agencies. 

9) MEA looking into how Atwal got a visa: For its part, the government is "ascertaining" details regarding how the convicted Khalistani terrorist got a visa to enter India, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Thursday. 

"There are two aspects of this. One is his presence at the event. I think this is something which should be addressed by the Canadian side. They have said that it was an oversight. On the visa part, I cannot immediately say how that happened. There are different ways of people coming into India, whether you are an Indian national, or OCI card holder. We are ascertaining details from our mission. We will have to see how this happened," Kumar told reporters.

10) Canada supports a strong and united India: Amid criticism faced by Trudeau over the Khalistan issue, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland on Thursday said that Canada "supports a strong and united India", but made it clear that her country was very proud of its diverse society, which included the Sikh community. 

Freeland said Canada was mindful of the menace of terrorism and the scars and deaths that India had endured, which she described as mind-boggling. 

Further, Freeland said the issue was discussed during her meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday. "I did discuss the issue with the (Indian) foreign minister and I will leave it to her to comment on her impressions of the conversation. But I felt it was a very constructive and useful discussion we had," Freeland said.
 

With agency inputs