Monday, January 17 2005 16:24 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin will tomorrow (Jan 18, 2005) meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other leaders in New Delhi to discuss ways of further strengthening bilateral ties and collaborating on global issues.

Martin will be briefed by the Government on post-tsunami relief and rehabilitation activities.

He will call on President A P J Abdul Kalam and hold wide-ranging talks with the Prime Minister on the entire gamut of bilateral ties besides exchanging views on important international and regional issues of mutual concern.

Developments in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan and UN reforms are expected to figure during the parleys. The Canadian leader will also have a meeting with External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh.

"Discussions will focus on ways to strengthen our bilateral partnership and collaborate on global issues," the Canadian High Commission said in New Delhi.

During his two-day stay, Martin will meet with a Canadian tsunami expert who is presently in Delhi to explore ways in which Canada and India can collaborate on tsunami-warning procedures for the Indian Ocean region.

Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh and National Science Advisor Arthur Carty, besides several Canadian MPs, are accompanying the Canadian Premier.

Ahead of the visit, Martin said, "Asia is a dynamic region, which holds tremendous opportunity, but which is being challenged by the devastation wrought by the tsunami."

"My trip is an opportunity to express solidarity with the Government and population of the region as they forge ahead with recovery efforts and to confer with other donors, but also to revitalize bilateral relations with each country and advance global issues," Martin said.

Canada is an important G-8 nation with which India has a tradition of strong relations, the External Affairs Ministry said in New Delhi.

"We are both members of the Commonwealth and the ASEAN Regional Forum. The two nations, both federal in polity, share values of pluralism and democracy," it said noting that the presence of a large Indian community in Canada has given this relationship a "special character".

India is engaging Canada across a broad agenda covering global issues, investment and trade, science and technology, environment and academic exchanges.

Bilateral trade between India and Canada was 2155 million Canadian Dollars last year. India runs an export surplus and its main export commodities are textiles and garments, iron and steel, organic chemicals, cotton and jewellery.

Imports from Canada are mainly wood pulp and newsprint, minerals, vegetable oils and precision equipment. Both countries have started investigating in each other and leading Indian IT companies have established a presence in Canada.

Canada has been actively supporting Indian projects in environmental management and sustainable development. "We are looking forward to greater flows of environment-friendly technology from that country," the Ministry said.