Defence and Security cooperation was a key component of the bilateral strategic
      engagement. Progress was also made across all areas of defence engagement including defence
      trade, training and exercises. The Logistic Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) was
      operationalised.
            India-US economic and commercial relations continued to expand during 2017. The US
      remains India’s largest trading partner, goods and services combined. Bilateral trade in goods
      and services amounted to US$114 billion and the two-way merchandise trade was US$66.7
      billion in 2016. During the first ten months of 2017, bilateral merchandise trade stood at US$
      62.26 billion with the balance of trade in favour of India at US$ 19.72 billion.
            Cooperation in innovation and entrepreneurship crossed a new milestone with India and the
      US co-hosting the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in India with the theme of Women First,
      Prosperity for All. The summit brought together entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem
      supporters from 150 countries.
            Canada: India-Canada bilateral relations are underpinned by shared values of democracy
      and pluralism; expanding economic engagement; regular high-level interactions and extensive
      people-to-people ties. The relationship received a new momentum with the visit of Prime
      Minister to Canada in 2015, and the elevation of bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership.
      The highlight in 2018 was the visit of Prime Minister of Canada to India. During the visit, there
      were concrete outcomes in the areas of energy, infrastructure, civil nuclear cooperation and skill
      development.
            During 2017-18 there were a series of high-level visits and meetings of bilateral
      mechanisms namely, India-Canada Security Dialogue, Trade Ministerial Dialogue, Joint
      Working Group of Agriculture, Joint Committee of Science and Technology and Joint
      Committee of Civil Nuclear Cooperation.
            Canada is home to over 1.4 million Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) who comprise more than
      3 per cent of the country’s population. There has been a significant increase in number of Indian
      students in Canada which is now estimated at 1,00,000. Commencement of direct flights between
      Indian and Canadian cities has contributed to strengthening of people-to-people links. The
      Department of Posts, India and Canada Post jointly issued commemorative stamps on the theme
      of Diwali for the first time.
            Latin America and Caribbean Countries: India and the Latin America region
      have continued to be distinct priorities for each other. India attaches importance to its relations
      with the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region and has warm and friendly relations with
      each of the countries. There are shared common values of democracy and respect for human
      rights. Our countries also share common membership of many international organizations and
      work closely together in the UN, G-77, NAM, etc. Latin America and India have a lot in
      common culturally with a variety of ancestries, ethnic groups and races. The presence of about
      one million Indian diaspora adds a special dimension to this relationship.
            The importance of India’s relations with countries of LAC region underscored by Prime
      Minister during a visit to the region in 2014 (Brazil) continued to gain impetus in further
      strengthening our relations.
            India and LAC countries continued to support each other in international fora. In this
      context, it will not be out of place to mention that India received the valuable support of LAC