Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly Begins 2-day Visit to India, to Hold Talks With EAM S Jaishankar

New Delhi: Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly will begin a two-day visit to India on Monday to hold wide-ranging talks with her Indian counterpart S Jaishankar. The talks between the two foreign ministers will be held on Monday evening, officials said. Besides ways to boost bilateral ties, the two sides are also expected to focus on cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of growing global concern over China's increasing military muscle-flexing in the region.

In November, Canada came out with a comprehensive strategy for the Indo-Pacific that aimed to promote peace, resilience, and security. Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy also listed India as a key player in the region and said Ottawa will focus on expanding economic engagement with New Delhi, including through deeper trade and investment as well as cooperating on building resilient supply chains.

"India's strategic importance and leadership -- both across the region and globally -- will only increase as India, the world's biggest democracy, becomes the most populous country in the world and continues to grow its economy," the Canadian policy mentioned. Separately, Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji Biman Prasad began a six-day visit to India on Sunday (February 5).

(With inputs from PTI)