'Hasn't taken a day off in 25 years': Carney praises PM Modi after bilateral meeting in India

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "unique guy" as he recalled his recent meeting with the Indian leader during his visit to the country.

Asked about his interaction with PM Modi, Carney said, "The guy is unique. He has not taken a day off in 25 years, either as the Chief Minister of Gujarat or as the Prime Minister. Every weekend, he is out campaigning and gets 250,000 people in his rally."

Carney appreciated PM Modi's work ethic, adding that he is "very focused" in delivering to the rural population and the transformation of the payment system, making a special mention of UPI. The Canadian leader was speaking at a seminar in the Lowy Institute.

Carney travelled to India to reset ties that saw a decline over the past few years under his predecessor Justin Trudeau's leadership.

More from World

Both prime ministers exchanged several memorandums of understanding (MoU), ranging from technology to cultural cooperation. In his opening remarks, PM Modi called Carney’s first visit to India an “important milestone”.

“I am delighted to welcome Prime Minister Carney to India. This is his first visit to India as Prime Minister. We view this as an important milestone. He warmly welcomed me and my delegation at the G7 meeting in Canada last year. It is a privilege to welcome him with the same warmth today,” he said.

The Canadian prime minister started his address by describing the current ties as the “new era of partnership”. He insisted that Canada is “well-positioned to contribute to India’s energy needs”, confirming that Canadian company Cameco has signed a long-term deal to supply uranium to India.

“Nearly two million Canadians trace their roots to India,” Carney said, adding that tens of thousands of people travel between the countries to visit relatives. He mentioned that India and Canada are renewing a defence cooperation agreement.