India world's fastest-growing major economy: Canadian PM Carney after landing in Mumbai

New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday kick-started a four-day visit to India that is focused on forging an ambitious partnership, especially in areas of trade, energy, technology and artificial intelligence.

Accompanied by a high-level delegation, Carney landed in Mumbai where he will interact with top Indian and Canadian corporate leaders, financial experts and innovators.

“India is the world's fastest-growing major economy. We just arrived in Mumbai to meet with business leaders -- and forge partnerships that will unlock new opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses," the Canadian prime minister said on social media.

Carney will travel to New Delhi on Sunday and hold wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, on Monday.

The Canadian leader's visit is largely aimed at imparting a new momentum to the bilateral ties that came under severe strain following a diplomatic row over the killing of a Khalistani separatist in 2023.

It is learnt that trade, energy and technology will be the main focus areas of talks between Carney and Modi.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said both leaders will review the progress achieved till date across diverse areas of the India-Canada strategic partnership, building on their earlier meetings in Kananaskis and Johannesburg in June and November, respectively.

The two prime ministers will also attend the India-Canada CEOs Forum on Monday.

"The visit comes at an important juncture in normalisation of India-Canada bilateral relations," the MEA said.

In the last few months, India and Canada have taken several steps to normalise the relations.

The India-Canada relations hit rock bottom following then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in 2023 of a potential Indian link to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

India had dismissed Trudeau's accusation as "absurd".

In October 2024, India recalled its high commissioner and five other diplomats after Ottawa attempted to link them to the Nijjar case.

India also expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats.

However, Liberal Party leader Carney's victory in the parliamentary election in April last year helped begin the process to reset relations.

Subsequently, both sides have already posted their high commissioners in each other's capitals.

In June last year, Prime Minister Modi travelled to Canada's Kananaskis to attend the G7 summit.

Modi and Carney held extensive talks on the margins of the summit with a focus on rebuilding the ties. PTI MPB ARI