Trudeau ‘declined’ PM Modi’s aircraft Air India One to return to Canada, ‘decided to wait for his own flight’

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was stranded in India for two days after the G20 Summit 2023 in New Delhi due to a technical snag in his aircraft, was offered Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aircraft to travel back, but he refused to accept the help.

Sources to ANI said within a few hours after it was learned that Trudeau’s plane had developed a technical snag and was not in a condition to fly, the Indian government had offered the Canadian prime minister a plane of PM Modi.

The Canadian government said it would opt not to avail of the offer of the Indian government to use PM Modi’s plane to fly back and instead said that they would wait for the technical snag to be corrected or wait for the backup plane that will take Trudeau back to Canada.

On Monday, Trudeau was offered the services of Air India One for his return to Canada. The government of Canada declined the offer and responded to the Indian government almost after six hours, expressing their preference to wait for their own aircraft.

Air India One is a two-plane fleet of Boeing 777s. They are exclusively used by India’s president, vice-president and prime minister for their international trips.

The report of the Canadian side declining India’s offer came amid India-Canada ties turning frosty over the Khalistan issue. PM Modi, during his bilateral meeting with Trudeau on the sidelines of the G20 summit, raised the Khalistan issue and told his Canadian counterpart that mutual respect and trust are essential for progress in bilateral ties.

While PM Modi expressed concerns, Sikhs for Justice arranged a Khalistan referendum at a gurdwara in British Columbia.

Trudeau arrived in Delhi for the G20 Leaders’ Summit on Friday (8 September). He and his team were scheduled to leave on Sunday (11 September) but were stranded for two days.

Trudeau finally flew out of India on Tuesday afternoon after the snag in his Airbus A310 was rectified. Till then, Trudeau, and his son Xavier stayed at Hotel Lalit, New Delhi.

The Canadian PM had to stay back in India without any official engagement. He did not have any event at the local high commission either.

Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar was deputed to receive and see off him.