Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally tweeted about Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and family's visit to India via his official Twitter account. His silence on the Canadian Prime Minister's visit has been a subject of intrigue.
The PM usually tweets about foreign leaders' visit as soon as they land.
On Thursday evening, PM Modi 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."
The picture has the Prime minister with his Canadian counterpart and his daughter, Ella-Grace.
In a subsequent tweet, the PM has also referred to a scheduled meeting with Trudeau and said he was looking forward to "holding talks on further strengthening India-Canada relations in all spheres".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is known to greet foreign dignitaries (like Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu) at the tarmac.
Trudeau's visit to India was met with an unexpected cold shoulder and later laden with controversies.
When Trudeau landed on the tarmac of Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday on a week long-visit, he was greeted by Minister of State for Agriculture Rajendra Singh Shekhawat and India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Vikas Swarup.
The Prime Minister had told Trudeau at the World Economic Forum, Davos that he would be glad to meet him when the latter visited India.
Modi's perceived cold-shouldering of Trudeau appears to have been prompted by the support the Canadian Prime Minister allegedly receives from the Khalistani movement.
Trudeau's visit was further dragged into controversy when Canadian High Commissioner Nadir Patel invited convicted Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal for a dinner which he was hosting for the visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his delegation on Thursday night. The invitation was later cancelled.
Noting the lack of a welcome from PM Modi, Toronto Sun columnist Candice Malcolm tweeted: “On official state visits to India, PM Modi personally greets and welcomes the Israeli PM, UAE Crown Prince and US President. For PM Trudeau, he sends a low-ranking official. ‘Canada is back’.
In another tweet, she said, “Dear people of India, regardless of the views of our misguided Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the people of Canada support a united India. We oppose and condemn Khalistani radicals and Islamist terrorists."
Delhi, however, denied there was any violation of protocol, and said that Trudeau would meet Modi in Delhi on Friday, a day before he leaves. “PM Modi was busy with visiting Iranian President Hassan Rouhani when Trudeau landed. He has other engagements. You can’t expect the PM to be in two places at the same time,” said a senior Indian official.
(with inputs from agencies)