India, Canada to discuss civil nuclear cooperation, ways to increase trade

NEW DELHI: Civil nuclear cooperation, ways to step up bilateral trade and economic ties are some of the issues expected to be discussed during the meeting between visiting Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here tomorrow.

Harper, who arrived in Agra yesterday on a six-day visit to India, flew in here in the afternoon.

Accompanied by three cabinet ministers and a large business delegation, Harper will hold talks with Singh during which the two sides are expected to take forward the 2010 India-Canada nuclear deal apart from finding ways to boost cooperation in key bilateral areas, official spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs has said.

The officials are also hoping to have forward movement on implementation of the nuclear deal during the visit.

The reports about the presence of separatist elements in Canada is also likely to figure during Harper's visit.

"It is of course a matter of concern for us. And we do continue to be in dialogue with the Government of Canada on this issue. But we also recognize that Canada's cooperation with us has to be within the limits of Canadian law and also within the parameters of their commitments to cooperate against extremism and terrorism," Joint Secretary (Americas) in MEA Vikram Doraiswami has said.

On trade front, India and Canada are negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement to take their economic ties to the next level. The next round of negotiations will be held in Canada mid-November, Doraiswami said.