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Indian PM Narendra Modi visiting Vancouver, Surrey today

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, right, participates in a business roundtable with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, in Toronto on Thursday, April 16, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michelle Siu.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, right, participates in a business roundtable with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, in Toronto on Thursday, April 16, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michelle Siu.

VANCOUVER – India’s hugely popular Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is in Canada in the first state visit by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly five decades.

It is hoped Modi’s trip will boost Canada-India relations and lead to trade opportunities between the two countries.

On Thursday Modi will be visiting Vancouver and Surrey. Along with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, he will visit a Sikh temple on Ross Street in Vancouver and then the Laxmi Narayan Hindu temple in Surrey. Tickets for both events are sold out.

There have been no details released of any road closures in Vancouver, but there are a number in effect for Surrey.

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140 Street, between 72 Avenue and 88 Avenue, will be closed from 10 a.m. to about 6 p.m. Local traffic will be allowed but you will not be able to access 140 Street from 72 or 88. Residents are asked to use alternate routes.

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There will also be a secured area between Bear Creek Drive and 140 Street, through to 84 Avenue and 140 Street. No vehicles or pedestrians will be allowed in this area.

Kalyan Sundaram, the executive director of the Canada India Foundation, says Modi’s visit is a great marketing opportunity for Canada.

“[Modi] is very charismatic, he’s very decisive, he takes action and he has generated a lot of respect among the global community as to how he does his work and how he does his business.”
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