Natwar Singh hails success of Indians in Canada
The External Affairs Minister praised NRIs for building bridges for closer cooperation between India and Canada.
External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh, who is here on a three-day visit, has hailed the vibrant Indian community in Canada for shining in all spheres in their adopted country and building bridges for closer cooperation between the two countries.
Immediately after arriving here Sunday, Singh, who has been invited by his Canadian counterpart Pierre Pettigrew, met a cross-section of the Indo-Canadian community and profusely congratulated them for having made "striking progress" in all spheres - economic, academic, scientific and even political - in their adopted country.
He spoke of the economic progress in India in recent years and of the prospects for far greater interaction and co-operation between Canada and India in the future.
Singh is scheduled to hold talks with Pettigrew on issues of mutual interest here Monday. He will also visit the Canadian Parliament during the Question Period and be formally recognized by the House of Commons.
Pettigrew will host a banquet in honour of Singh in Montreal Tuesday.
Singh will speak at a gathering of foreign policy experts on India's role on the global stage. The talk has been organized by the Canadian Institute of International Affairs and McGill University.
Singh leaves for India Tuesday.
Canada is home to a million-strong Indian diaspora that constitutes nearly three per cent of the Canadian population. Indian migrants first came to Canada in the late 19th century.
Indians have carved a place for themselves in the Canadian sun and have achieved spectacular success in varied walks of life, including politics.
Ujjal Dosanjh, Canada's health minister, is a shining example of the immigrant success story. Dosanjh accompanied Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin to India early this year. During Martin's visit, the two countries discussed closer cooperation trade, science and technology and health care.
The Indo-Canadian community has also produced cabinet ministers and members of assemblies in several of the provinces. Some of Canada's top scientists, academics, doctors and businessmen are Indo-Canadians.
Trade relations between India and Canada are growing. The Indo-Canadian bilateral trade stood at $1.5 billion in 2004-05, of which India's exports to Canada were $816.16 million and imports $738.47, giving it a trade surplus of $77.69 million.