Canada's top military officials in India to discuss security perspectives

New Delhi, Feb 26 (ANI): A 15-member delegation of high ranking Canadian military officials is in India to identify similarities between Indian and Canadian security perspectives, common challenges and paths for solutions.

The team headed by Brigadier General Douglas C. Hilton, Commandant of the Canadian Forces College in Toronto is expected to meet officials from the Defence Ministry, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the National Security Council, the Western Air Command and the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.

Several high level Canadian officials representing security and justice interests are also visiting India to meet with their Indian counterparts eyeing upon increasing cooperation between the two countries.

Canadian officials visiting India include Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, Toronto's Chief of Police William Blair, as well as a delegation of the National Security Program comprising high rank military officials.

Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin heads a delegation of Canada's Supreme Court to participate in the 5th Indo-Canada Legal Forum held in New Delhi. She will meet Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan and a delegation from the Supreme Court of India to discuss issues of mutual concern.

McLachlin's visit is part of an ongoing Indo-Canadian legal exchange, the last installment having taken place in May 2008 in Canada. Judges from both the Canadian and Indian Supreme Courts have found these meetings to be of great benefit to their work.

Toronto's Police Chief William Blair is also visiting India to explore opportunities for cooperation and sharing of information in areas such as police governance, policing and security, community policing, policing a diverse community, policing and human rights, and police training.

Blair is expected to meet officials from the Multi-Agency Centre, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Border security Force (BSF). He will also meet the Director General of Police (DGP) of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

Blair, who is accompanied by Dr Alok Mukherjee, the Chairman of the Toronto Police Services Board will also give a talk on "Administration of the Justice System in Canada" in the National Law University. (ANI)