India is gearing up to address its strained relations with Canada during the Parliament-20 meeting of G20 nations’ presiding officers, known as the P20 Summit, scheduled to take place in Delhi next week. This crucial summit will see the participation of presiding officers from 25 countries, along with 10 deputy speakers from G20 member nations and invitee countries. The event will be held at the India International Convention and Expo Centre, Yashobhoomi, in Dwarka from October 13 to 14, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to inaugurate the G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20) on October 13.
Canada will be represented at the P20 Summit by Speaker of the Senate, Raymonde Gagne. India’s relations with Canada have been strained after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau linked Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced that India intends to raise all issues during the summit, including those related to its strained relationship with Canada. “We will discuss issues that have been listed for the summit. Other issues will be discussed informally,” Mr. Birla stated when asked about addressing the matter of Canada’s use of its Parliament to level allegations against India.
The P20 Summit is expected to host more than 350 delegates, including 50 members of Parliament, 14 general secretaries, 26 vice-presidents, the International Parliamentary Union president, and the president of the Pan-African Parliament. The summit’s main theme, as announced by Mr. Birla, is proposed to be “Parliaments for One Earth, One Family, One Future.”
During the summit, four sessions will be held, focusing on “Transformation in People’s Lives through Public Digital Platforms,” “Women-led Development,” “Accelerating SDGs” (Sustainable Development Goals), and “Sustainable Energy Transition.”
A pre-summit event called the Parliamentary Forum on Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) is scheduled for October 12 at Yashobhoomi. Additionally, an exhibition titled ‘Mother of Democracy’ will be organized to showcase India’s ancient and participative democratic traditions.
As part of the summit program, P20 delegates will have the opportunity to visit the new Parliament House, followed by a cultural evening and dinner hosted by the speaker. The summit aims to facilitate meaningful discussions on pressing global issues and strengthen diplomatic ties among participating nations.
Sources By Agencies