Canada dispatches largest business delegation to Mumbai and Bengaluru in three decades

Canada will deploy its largest commercial delegation to India in more than thirty years next week, bringing nearly 300 business leaders to Mumbai and Bengaluru for a five-day economic outreach.

Led by Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu, the Team Canada Trade Mission runs from October 12 to 17. The deployment targets two of the country's primary financial and technology centers to deepen bilateral commerce and build institutional partnerships.

The initiative arrives as Ottawa and New Delhi advance discussions toward a comprehensive economic partnership agreement. Both governments have set a target to conclude the bilateral trade framework by the end of the year.

Participating Canadian enterprises represent multiple sectors, including aerospace, clean energy transition, information and communications technology, life sciences, and agri-food. Representatives will engage directly with Indian corporate decision-makers, industry associations, and potential clients.

Bilateral goods and services trade between the two nations reached $30.4 billion in 2025, according to official trade data. Canadian authorities have outlined an objective to more than double total bilateral commerce to $70 billion annually by 2030.

Canadian direct investment in India stood at $11.4 billion last year, while Indian direct investment in Canada totalled $9.7 billion. Additionally, Canadian pension funds and asset managers recorded approximately $108 billion in total exposure across Indian markets through portfolio holdings and direct vehicles.

The delegation's itinerary includes structured business-to-business networking sessions, sector briefings, and institutional site visits in both Maharashtra and Karnataka. Negotiating teams from both countries plan to resume formal talks following the conclusion of the delegation's engagements.