PM Narendra Modi 'looking forward' to meeting Canadian PM Justin Trudeau today

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau, who is on an 8-day state visit to India with family.

The Prime Minister took to Twitter and said that he is ''looking forward'' to meeting Trudeau on Friday.

''I look forward to meeting PM @JustinTrudeau tomorrow and holding talks on further strengthening India-Canada relations in all spheres. I appreciate his deep commitment to ties between our two countries," the PM said on Twitter on Thursday.

I look forward to meeting PM @JustinTrudeau tomorrow and holding talks on further strengthening India-Canada relations in all spheres. I appreciate his deep commitment to ties between our two countries. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 22, 2018

In his second tweet, PM Modi expressed hope that the visiting Canadian leader and his family would have had a very enjoyable stay in the country since they arrived here last week.

"I hope PM @Justin Trudeau and his family had a very enjoyable stay so far. I particularly look forward to meeting his children Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien. Here is a picture from my 2015 Canada visit, when I'd met PM Trudeau and Ella-Grace," the PM had tweeted.

I hope PM @JustinTrudeau and his family had a very enjoyable stay so far. I particularly look forward to meeting his children Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien. Here is a picture from my 2015 Canada visit, when I'd met PM Trudeau and Ella-Grace. pic.twitter.com/Ox0M8EL46x — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 22, 2018

Trudeau has come to India accompanied with his wife Sophie Gregoire and three children -Ella-Grace, Xavier and Hadrien and a delegation of ministers.

The Canadian leader on Thursday went to see Jama Masjid and later played cricket with former Indian captains Kapil Dev and Mohammad Azharuddin.

Azharuddin and several others were seen fielding while Kapil Dev bowled to Trudeau's son.

On Wednesday, the Trudeau family had visited Amritsar's Golden Temple, along with his wife and children before meeting Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, during which the latter shared the concerns about militancy issue related to the separatist movement of Khalistan.

However, a controversy erupted over the invitation to convicted Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal to an event that was held in Mumbai where Trudeau was present.

Reacting to the controversy, Trudeau said that the invite should never have been sent. 

"We take this extremely seriously. He should never have received an invitation. As soon as we received the information, we rescinded it. A member of Parliament had included this individual," the Canadian PM clarified.
 
Atwal, the Sikh separatist, was convicted of attempting to murder of Punjab minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu in Vancouver in 1986.

Atwal was even photographed at the event alongside Trudeau's wife Sophie Gregoire, according to Canada`s public broadcaster CBC.

Earlier, Trudeau and his family had visited Agra, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. 

(With ANI inputs)