Canadian PM dials, Modi. Canada says “recent protests” were discussed. Were India’s farmer protests mentioned in the call?
According to Canada, Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called up Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 10 February. It is said that the two leaders had a discussion on COVID-19 vaccines. It is learnt that they also discussed about their efforts to fight the challenge thrown up by the pandemic. However, the press releases from the two countries differ in their version of the events.
India’s version
An official statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs said that Trudeau spoke about Canada’s requirement for COVID-19 vaccines from India to PM Modi. The MEA stated “Prime Minister assured the Canadian PM that India would do its best to support Canada’s vaccination efforts, just as it had done for many other countries already,”
Further, India’s MEA said that the two leaders also spoke about the “common perspective shared by India and Canada on many important geo-political issues” and “agreed to continue the close collaboration between both the countries in fighting global challenges like climate change and the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Canada’s Version
As mentioned above, Canada’s version of events about the conversation differs to that of India.
According to a press release by the Canadian government, PM Trudeau and Prime Minister Modi spoke about India’s significant efforts in developing and promoting vaccine production and supply. It is said that these efforts have contributed vital support to countries around the world. It is also learnt that the “two leaders agreed to work together on access to vaccines.
Canada further mentioned that PM Modi and PM Trudeau discussed about the commitment to democratic principles, recent protests, and the importance of dialogue in resolving issues. This discussion seemed to be regarding to the farmers’ protests in India. However, the statement issued by the MEA lacked this information.
Canada further said that during the telephone call, the two PMs discussed their “respective efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, protect the health and safety of their people, and provide economic support for their citizens.”
During their discussions, the prime ministers of both the countries reaffirmed their common interests in a free and open manner. They also discussed about the importance of working together on global challenges such as climate change, strengthening global trade, and reinforcing the rules-based international order.
The two prime ministers also discussed the importance of the Canada-India strategic partnership “anchored in shared values, strong people-to-people ties, and growing bilateral economic cooperation.”
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