Trudeau to leave India (at last) after plane problems delay G20 exit – POLITICO

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is finally set to leave India on Tuesday, after technical issues with his aircraft left him stranded in New Delhi for days after the G20 summit.

“The technical issue with the plane has been resolved. The plane has been cleared to fly,” Mohammad Hussain, press secretary for Trudeau, told multiple news outlets.

Trudeau was supposed to depart New Delhi on Sunday, after attending the G20 over the weekend. But a mechanical fault with his plane forced the prime minister and his delegation to extend their stay in India’s capital for an extra two days.

The plane, a Royal Canadian Air Force CC-150 Polaris, had experienced “technical difficulties” which were not “fixable overnight,” according to statements from Trudeau’s office. In a statement to BBC News, Canada’s Department of National Defense said a component would have to be replaced.

The defense department initially said a replacement plane was on its way to New Delhi to retrieve Trudeau, but the plane was later diverted to the U.K.  

During the weekend summit, Trudeau faced some criticism from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who expressed “strong concerns” over protests organized by Sikh separatists in Canada.