G20: Canada PM Trudeau forced to stay in India after plane breaks down

The Canadian Prime Minister was due to fly back home on Sunday

An issue with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's plane has meant he has extended his stay in New Delhi after attending the G20 summit at the weekend. AFP

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his delegation at the G20 summit have had to extend their stay in New Delhi by a day due to a mechanical fault with his plane, officials have said.

Mr Trudeau attended the G20 leaders' summit in India at the weekend, and was due to return to Canada on Sunday.

A statement from Mr Trudeau’s office said the Canadian Air Force, which operates the plane, had informed the delegation it “was experiencing technical difficulties”.

“These issues are not fixable overnight, our delegation will be staying in India until alternative arrangements are made,” it added.

It is not clear when the Airbus plane will be able to make the return journey, CTV News reported.

The aircraft reportedly ran into technical issues on two other occasions, in 2016 and 2019, the news outlet said.

Mr Trudeau laid a wreath at a memorial to Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi on Sunday.

Ottawa and New Delhi are currently experiencing tension over Canada's handling of Sikh nationalists who seek a separate homeland in northern India.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has criticised the Canadian government for allowing Sikh protests to go ahead.

Updated: September 12, 2023, 7:04 AM