Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM's speech at the banquet hosted by the Prime Minister of Canada

It is a singular honour for my wife and me to be here this evening. We are most grateful to Prime Minister Harper and Madame Harper for their gracious invitation to this magnificent dinner tonight.

We are indeed overwhelmed by the warmth of the hospitality accorded to us by the Government and people of this great country.

I convey to each and every one of you the greetings and good wishes of the people of India.

India and Canada share much in common. We are separated by distance but we are united in our values. We both cherish our freedom, our democratic way of life, our pluralism and our spirit of tolerance.

The beautiful city of Toronto, which I am aware is also the birth place of Prime Minister Harper, is a living embodiment of the vitality, energy and diversity that defines both our nations.

Addressing the Joint Session of the Canadian Parliament thirty seven years ago Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had observed that the greatest achievement of the Canadian people was not the high economic standards they have attained but, and I quote: "the fact that the international community regards Canada as a nation of friends and as a factor for international harmony and peace. Canadians stand for a broad liberal outlook on life. They have fought for peace and racial justice," unquote.

These words ring true even today, and I fully endorse them.

Over the years, Canada has reinforced these values, and become a beacon of hope for all those who believe in justice, equality and opportunity. Canada plays an influential role in global affairs - in the maintenance of international peace and stability, protection of the environment, and the promotion and protection of human rights and the rule of law.

I compliment Prime Minister Harper for his superb leadership in the G-20 Summit. The success of the Summit is a tribute to the outstanding intellectual and organizational skills of Prime Minister Harper and his team.

Despite the global economic crisis, the Indian economy has shown resilience and is well on its way to return to an annual growth rate of 8 to 9 percent. We wish to aim higher, and are confident that all the conditions are in place to achieve such an outcome.

The socio-economic transformation of a country of the size of India within a democratic framework will have enormous repercussions for the rest of the world. India today seeks an external environment that is peaceful and conducive for achieving our development goals. It is within this framework that we see new and exciting possibilities for India and Canada to work together to build a better future for ourselves.

In recent years, the Premiers of Quebec and Ontario have visited India. Other Canadian provinces like Manitoba and Saskatchewan have shown interest in expanding business ties with India. Canada has opened new Trade Offices in India.

A growing number of Canadian investors are coming to India in areas like telecommunications, environment, energy, financial services and transportation. Indian investment in Canada has increased ten-fold in the last decade. These are all very encouraging signs.

Prime Minister Harper and I have also identified education as an area of high priority. In India we have embarked upon a massive education and skill development programme. Canadian Universities and academic institutions are renowned for their excellence and world class education. We should aim to collaborate in the cutting edges of technology and build the knowledge economy of the 21st century.

One of the greatest strengths of Canada is its ability to welcome and assimilate peoples from across the world. The Indian origin community in Canada today numbers approximately 1.1 million. The community constitutes a bridge between our two countries that has remained strong and unshakeable even in the most difficult circumstances. We applaud the opportunities they have been given to contribute to their social and economic advancement.

I would like to especially acknowledge their presence here today and wish them even greater success as citizens of Canada.

To foster closer cultural bonds between India and Canada, I am happy to announce that we will organize a year long Festival of India in Canada in 2011. This will showcase India's rich cultural and art heritage, and promote greater tourism and travel.

India will be hosting the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October this year. I take this opportunity to invite the people of Canada to celebrate the spirit of the Commonwealth with us.

Indians and Canadians enjoy a natural empathy with each other. Let us build upon this foundation to create a more just, fair and equitable world and one which upholds human dignity.

I once again thank the Prime Minister and Madame Harper for their hospitality, and all the distinguished guests for honouring us with their presence this evening.

I thank you.