Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal highlighted India’s thriving startup and innovation ecosystem during his visit to Canada and emphasised the vast opportunities for meaningful collaboration between the two countries in emerging sectors.
During his interactions in Canada, the minister outlined the immense potential for bilateral cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), cleantech, agritech and deep tech, where India and Canada possess complementary strengths.
Concluding his three-day visit to Canada, Goyal held an engaging interaction with members of the Canada-India Foundation. He appreciated the valuable contribution of the Indo-Canadian community in strengthening business engagement and deepening people-to-people ties between the two nations.
The minister also interacted with representatives of regional chambers operating in the India-Canada corridor and received constructive feedback on ways to strengthen business collaboration and enhance investment flows. He acknowledged their important role in promoting trade, investment and closer bilateral relations.
Highlighting the renewed momentum in India-Canada ties, Goyal pointed to the significant opportunities arising from the ongoing negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
During his meeting with Goldy Hyder, President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, the discussions focused on enhancing commercial engagement and promoting industry-led partnerships in technology, infrastructure, clean energy, critical minerals and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Both sides also discussed the role of the India-Canada CEO Forum in deepening business-to-business engagement and fostering stronger economic cooperation, according to a statement issued by the Commerce Ministry.
Goyal led the largest-ever Indian business delegation to Canada, comprising industry leaders from more than 100 Indian companies, in what is being seen as a landmark step towards the revival of India-Canada economic relations.
With bilateral trade between India and Canada currently estimated at around USD 8.5 billion, both governments remain committed to achieving the ambitious target of expanding trade to USD 50 billion by 2030.