Nine members of Canada's Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade will be visiting Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad from September 4 to 9.

According to a Canada High Commission release,the delegation will meet Indian ministers, government officials, business leaders and academics to understand the potential that India holds as an emerging market and as one of the fastest developing economies.

Speaking on the eve of the tour, the committee chairperson Senator Raynell Andreychuk said: "India is fast emerging as a global power. Both Canada and India share the values of democracy, rule of law and diversity of culture. Our mutual relationship has strengthened in the recent past with the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Canada in June 2010 and the visit of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to India in 2009. We look forward to meeting several key decision makers and industry leaders during our forthcoming visit to India."

In New Delhi, the delegation will meet the External Affairs Minister, Mr S. M. Krishna, Minister for Human Resource Development, Mr Kapil Sibal, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Mr Kamal Nath and the Minister of Power, Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde. The Senators will also meet Dr T Subbirami Reddy, Chairperson of Parliamentary Committee on Science and Technology and Environment and Forests.

In Hyderabad, the delegation will meet the State Minister for Tourism, Culture and Public Relations, Dr J. Geeta Reddy.

In Mumbai, the delegation will meet the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr Ashok Chavan, and have discussions with educationists, economists and business representatives. (ANI)