Modi's visit to Canada first standalone bilateral by Indian PM since 1973: MEA

Modi government on Friday strongly opposed Congress' allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not the first Indian PM to visit Canada in 42 years.

New Delhi: Modi government on Friday strongly opposed Congress' allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not the first Indian PM to visit Canada in 42 years.

Speaking to a news agency ANI, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said, “It (PM Modi's visit) is the 1st standalone bilateral visit since 1973.”

“The Canadian foreign ministry also has same approach Dr Manmohan Singh did visit Canada, it was primarily for G-20 summit,” he said on Congress' claim that Manmohan Singh paid an official three-day visit at the invitation of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in June, 2010.

Akbaruddin added, “There was a bilateral element, but it was not a standalone bilateral visit. These are diplomatic terms that are well known.”

Earlier, Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma published a release which was issued on June 27, 2010, the joint statement on former prime minister Manmohan Singh's visit said: "...Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Canada at the invitation of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. During his visit, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh participated in G20 Toronto Summit and held bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Stephen Harper."

During the last leg of his three-nation visit PM Modi said in his address in Canada on Thursday that he was the first sitting Indian prime minister to visit Canada in 42 years.

Akbaruddin further tweeted some pictures of the Canadian print media, a day after PM Modi's departure from Vancouver.

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