The steady normalization of India-Canada relations, reinforced by recent high-level ministerial exchanges, has opened a window of opportunity for renewed cooperation in trade, business, and industry.
Leaders from both nations stressed this point at an event held Monday to announce the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce’s second Trade Mission to India, urging businesses to build on the improved climate with new agreements, partnerships, and investments.
The upcoming Trade Mission, scheduled for the first week of the New Year, is expected to explore a wide spectrum of opportunities in technology and innovation, education and skill development, energy, and small business and MSME ecosystems. The Chamber noted that interest is high following the success of its first 33-member mission in 2023, which visited 16 cities across India, Nepal, and Bangladesh and resulted in several memoranda of understanding in sectors such as ayurveda, diamonds, and jewelry.
With more than a thousand members, the Chamber has emerged as one of Canada’s most active business organizations promoting international and inter-provincial engagement. The 2026 mission will be led by Chamber President Kushagr Dutt Sharma; Trade Mission Chair Rakesh Kantaria; India-Canada Trade Committee Chair Hemant Shah; and Mission Co-chair Amit Chowdhary.
Sharma emphasized that the Chamber’s leadership team has “successfully executed multiple international trade missions, along with inter-provincial business delegations across Canada,” helping connect entrepreneurs, investors, and institutions across a range of sectors. The organization also hosts the annual Invest India–Invest Canada Business Summit, which serves as a bilateral forum for policymakers, industry leaders, and high-growth enterprises from both countries.
Senior officials from ICICI Bank Canada attended the launch, including its Chairman, Himadari, who pledged full support for the Mission. Deepak Anand, Member of Provincial Parliament, highlighted Ontario’s multicultural fabric, noting that while the province was celebrating Hindu Heritage Month, it remained home to more than 100 communities “working for a common motive of making Canada their home.”
India’s Acting Consul-General in Toronto, Kapidhwaja Partap Singh, underscored the significant potential for expanding bilateral trade. He identified health care, education, pharmaceuticals, and natural resources as key areas of growth, noting that recent immigration policy changes position India as an important source of skilled manpower for Canada. He also pointed to the three recent ministerial visits between the two countries as evidence of “the huge potential” in the relationship.
Singh said India was working on a mechanism to capture and operationalize the ideas emerging from these exchanges. He referenced the Surat jewelry mission’s Canadian visit and highlighted areas where India could benefit from Canadian expertise, including mining and skilled labor development. He further announced that India was granting near “100 percent clearance” for medical visas when applicants submit letters from the relevant hospitals and medical authorities.
The second Trade Mission will engage with prominent industry bodies, business chambers, and regional partners across Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh (Punjab and Haryana), Delhi, and Himachal Pradesh. Assam, officials noted, has strong potential in the energy sector, an area where Canada has considerable expertise.
According to Sharma, the mission aims to strengthen Canada–India business cooperation, connect Canadian businesses with regional industry leaders and chambers, and explore sector-specific opportunities in energy, electronics manufacturing, information technology, and pharmaceuticals. He also highlighted Canada’s substantial pension fund investments in India, pointing to the deepening economic linkages between the two countries.
In a video message, Shah – who has been appointed Chair of the Chamber’s Free Trade Development Committee in recognition of his long-standing efforts to promote bilateral commerce – spoke about the continued potential for growing India–Canada trade.
Kantaria, Maharishi Jani, and Rajan Sharda of ICICI Bank were among the other speakers who expressed support for the mission and optimism about the future of bilateral economic relations.
