Baird and Fast to visit the new Modi government with their eyes on increased trade and prosperity between the two countries
October 10, 2014 - Toronto, Ontario - Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird; the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade; Bob Dechert, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice; and the Honourable Deepak Obhrai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and for International Human Rights, will lead a Canadian delegation to India from October 12 to 17, 2014. Baird and Fast will visit Delhi on October 13 and 14 to meet with senior government officials to discuss global and regional security, economic prosperity and other bilateral matters. Baird and his Indian counterpart will engage in the annual discussions around the Canada-India Strategic Dialogue.
Minister Fast, with Parliamentary Secretary Dechert, will lead a six-day, three-city trade mission to Mumbai, Delhi and Chandigarh to boost Canada and India’s trade and investment partnerships. They will be joined by representatives of 14 Canadian organizations, including small and medium-sized enterprises, looking for opportunities to export to India.
Parliamentary Secretary Obhrai will lead a delegation comprising representatives of six Canadian organizations to Jaipur, Hyderabad and Mumbai to strengthen the Canada-India bilateral relationship in such areas as regional security, education and trade.
With more than 1,200 Canadian businesses already active in India, and hundreds more pursuing opportunities there, Minister Fast will provide on-the-ground support to Canadian investors and businesses.
Baird and Fast will meet with Indian ministers and business leaders to bring new energy and ambition to the partnership between Canada and India.
This marks their first visit to India under the new government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Trade missions to priority markets and on-the-ground support from trade commissioners, as well as the opportunity to work with Export Development Canada (EDC), the Canadian Commercial Corporation and the Business Development Bank of Canada, are some of the tools the Government of Canada provides under the Global Markets Action Plan (GMAP) to help Canadian businesses grow and export.
“Canada and India share a special bond and have clearly laid out the importance of our relationship through the Canada-India Strategic Dialogue. The recent transition in India marks an important chapter in our relationship, one that Canada looks forward to deepening and broadening. Issues surrounding global security, terrorism and economic prosperity will be the focus of our discussions with the Modi government as we look to this next chapter with a wealth of optimism.”
- Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird
“Our government’s priority is to create jobs and opportunities, especially when it comes to helping Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises succeed abroad. We will continue to provide tools and trade-promotion support to our companies under Canada’s Global Markets Action Plan to help them grow, expand and create jobs here at home.”
- Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade
Shannon Gutoskie
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Ed Fast
Minister of International Trade
613-992-7332
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
343-203-7700
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