Trudeau gets billion-dollar pacts in India visit; to generate 6,000 jobs

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday said his ongoing visit to India has already yielded investments worth over $1 billion that will generate 6,000 'high quality' jobs.

Underscoring the need for deepening bilateral ties, Trudeau said he is in India to strengthen historic ties between the two nations and the hospitality extended to his family "has been phenomenal".

"In total, this weeks trip has yielded more than a billion dollars in investments between Canada and India and that billion dollars back and forth will create 6,000 high-quality jobs for folks back home and many many good jobs here as well.

"This is a true vote of confidence from the Indian Business community and the desire from companies around the world to set up shop in Canada makes sense," Trudeau said while addressing a business event coordinated by CII here.

The visiting leader said India and Canada must "deepen and broaden" its historic friendship and "that is what this week has been all about".

Trudeau said he has engaged with all facets of Indian society.

"To be competitive in the modern economy, we need to shift from a whole government approach to a whole of country approach. This is how we strengthen our ties, this is how we both succeed," he said.

Addressing the businessmen, the Canadian Prime Minister said his country was a "pretty good place to do business" and there are "tremendous advantages of working together" for the benefit of the two countries and their citizens.

Trudeau said over 400 Canadian companies are present in India and he has "no doubt that this number will increase in the years ahead".

He also called for achieving trade and growth that lifts the poor and historically disadvantaged.

"Just as we recognise that diversity is a crucial element of progress, we also recognise that economic growth must benefit all of our people... We can have trade and investment that is both profitable and benefits society. Too many people have been left behind as global commerce has evolved," Trudeau said.

At the same event, Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said India and Canada have immense scope for cooperation in cold chain and refrigeration.