India is committed to strengthen bilateral relationship with Canada, Union Minister of State for HRD Daggubati Purandeswari has said, as both the countries stepped up efforts to cement ties in the field of education.

“Education can no longer be considered a goal in itself, but rather should be considered a powerful driver of socio-economic change,” the MoS for HRD (Higher Education), Purandeswari said while delivering the key note address at the Canada-India Education Summit at Carleton University on Saturday.

“The relationship between the two countries has come so far over the past five years,” she said, commending the leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

“We look forward to accelerating deliverables as part of the Canada-India Memorandum of Understanding in higher education cooperation,” Purandeswari added.