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The Prime Minister’s tilt at niqab wearers has upset Indian Muslims and will not help his government’s multicultural credentials with other minorities.

“Harper has overplayed his hand with minority communities and essentially told all Muslims, ‘I don’t want you to vote for me,’ ” said one Indo-Canadian businessman. “He’d have been better off sticking to hard mathematics — asking them, ‘Are you better off than you were four years ago?’ ”

Still, being pictured next to a man being hailed as a potentially transformational leader of the world’s largest democracy is unlikely to hurt Harper’s chances of re-connecting with Indo-Canadians again during this year’s election.

While there are obvious and important foreign policy considerations, this is a visit with clear domestic political implications.

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By contrast, this is very much a sales trip for the Indian leader.

Modi is visiting France, Germany and Canada to let them know his country is under new management and open for business with its first majority government in 30 years.

Part of his mission is to advance India’s purchase of nuclear reactors and fuel, after being shut out for years because of its weapons program. A 2008 agreement with the United States gave access to foreign suppliers and Modi hopes to secure a uranium import deal. Cameco Corp. has been holding talks with the Indian government about a long-term supply arrangement.

There may be other benefits for Canada, for example, allowing Canadian visitors to obtain visas at Indian airports. Canada was left off the list of 43 countries that were added in November — an omission blamed on frosty relations since the 1985 Air India bombing.