P Chidambaram to kick off India investment roadshow in Toronto

Finance Minister P Chidambaram is in Toronto on a two-day visit aimed at attracting Canadian investment in infrastructure sector. He is accompanied by top finance ministry and central bank officials, official sources said on Sunday.

Chidambaram will kick off the India investment roadshows in Toronto on Monday. He has conducted similar roadshows in major global financial hubs that included Japan, Hong Kong, Germany and Singapore.

During visit, Chidambaram will meet with his counterpart Jim Flaherty, Governor General of Canada David Johnston and other top officials in Ottawa and a team of Canadian CEOs at Canada-India Business Council (C-IBC) and Canadian Council of Chief Executives as well as leaders of some major Canadian pension plans in Toronto, sources said.

Peter Sutherland, president and CEO of the Canada-India Business Council, said that there was a need to expedite the signing of Foreign Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (FIPA).

Describing Chidambaram's visit as a "historic landmark in Indo-Canada relations", Naval Bajaj, President of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce, said it would strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

Kam Rathee, Vice-Chairman of the Canada-India Education Council, said: "It is a very timely visit that will not only promote investment between the two countries but accelerate bilateral trade, social and cultural ties."

with inputs from PTI