Team Canada Trade Mission to India

As part of Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development will lead a Team Canada Trade Mission to India to help Canadian exporters and innovators from across the country position themselves in this market by showcasing their capabilities and competitiveness and facilitate long-term trade and investment opportunities.

Event details

Team Canada Trade Missions (TCTM) are Minister-led, enhanced trade missions to the Indo-Pacific region tied to Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy. These trade missions will prioritize innovation sectors and seek to open doors for Canadian companies, from large and diverse businesses to SMEs led by groups traditionally underrepresented in trade, such as women, Indigenous Peoples, Black and other racialized Canadians, 2SLGBTQI+ and youth.

Market:  Mumbai, India with potential other cities (to be confirmed)

Sectors:  The trade mission program will be tailored to areas of Canadian competitive advantage and will focus on the following sectors:

• priority sectors defined in Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy:  clean technologies and renewable/green energy
• high potential sectors defined by the Pan-India TCS network:  automotive, agriculture and value-added food, information and communications technologies (ICT)/digital industries, infrastructure, and life sciences.

Format: In-market

Registration deadline: Registration is closed

Why are Team Canada Trade Missions targeting the Indo-Pacific region?

The Indo-Pacific region is rapidly emerging as the global center of economic dynamism and strategic importance. It currently accounts for over one-third of the world's economic activity. By 2030, the region is expected to become home to two-thirds of the global middle class, and by 2040 projected to make up over half of the global economy. These remarkable statistics highlight the significance of the Indo-Pacific region for Canadian companies, offering unparalleled opportunities for expansion, market exploration, and strategic partnerships.

Launched in November 2022, Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy seeks to expand and deepen Canada's existing partnerships in the region.  One of the five strategic objectives of the Strategy is to expand trade, investment and supply chain resilience, including through expanding our trade network at home and abroad, paving the way for long-term growth and prosperity. As one of the key initiatives under the objective, Team Canada Trade Missions to the Indo-Pacific is an opportunity for Canadian companies to reinforce their reputation for adopting and modelling international best practices.

Why India?

India's growing strategic, economic and demographic importance in the Indo-Pacific makes it a critical partner in Canada's pursuit of its objectives under the Indo-Pacific Strategy. Canada and India have a mutual interest in expanding our commercial relationship and growing people-to-people connections.

India was the fastest growing major economy in 2022 and is the world's most populous country. Last year, Canada exported $5.4 billion worth of goods and $6.2 billion worth of services to India, and we imported $6.4 billion worth of goods and $2.9 billion worth of services. This represents a new record in terms of annual goods and services trade between our two countries.

The country's population of 1.4 billion people and growing middle class presents significant opportunity for Canadian businesses looking to expand internationally. All of these factors make India an ideal destination for a Team Canada Trade Mission to the Indo-Pacific.

Opportunities for Canadian companies

The following opportunities in India present the greatest potential for Canadian companies:

Agriculture and value-added food: As India's agriculture and food sector modernizes, growing demand for international, health-focused products presents significant opportunities for Canadian businesses.

Automotive: India's rapidly expanding automotive sector, with its increasing focus on electric vehicles (EV) and green transportation, offers significant opportunities for Canadian businesses.

Clean technology: India's clean technology sector, with its focus on energy storage, hydrogen, smart grid technologies, waste management, and wastewater treatment, offers a rich opportunity landscape for Canadian businesses.

Life sciences: As India's middle class expands, so does the demand for higher quality healthcare services. Canadian expertise in telemedicine, medical research, medical devices, and ICT (information and communications technology) can help address this need.

Infrastructure: As India undergoes one of the largest mass movements in world history, Canada's expertise in urban planning, design, engineering, architecture, and construction could play a significant role.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT)/Digital industries: India's digital landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, with data consumption growing rapidly in the last few years. This rapid growth in data usage indicates a soaring demand for digital services and connectivity solutions, aligning with Canadian expertise in the ICT sector.

Renewable/green energy: With India's growing energy demand, Canada's extensive experience in hydro development, and renewable energy could provide significant benefits.

Program (*in development)

The in-market program will visit commercial regions in India and may include:

• networking opportunities with Minister Ng and Indian business leaders
• on-site business briefings by our Trade Commissioners, senior officials, and key local industry players
• market overviews
• business meetings and/or round tables with local industry and experts
• site visits (where applicable)

Travel considerations and expenses

Before deciding to travel, please review the travel health notice for COVID-19 and international travel. No matter where you plan on travelling, make sure you check the Travel Advice and Advisories page for your destination twice: once when you are planning your trip and again shortly before you leave. Safety and security conditions may change between the date you book your travel and your departure date.

• Travel advice – India

Entry requirements

Your passport must be valid for 6 months from your date of entry into India and must contain at least two blank pages for use by immigration officials.

A visa is also required to enter into India.  Please pay close attention to the entry and exit requirement section for India and plan accordingly to ensure you apply for the necessary entry documents in advance of your trip. For additional information on visa requirements, consult the High Commission of India's Consular Services.

Travel arrangements and expenses

Programming and travel details (such as in-country transportation options and hotel block bookings) will be shared with confirmed participants as information becomes available. Participants are responsible for organizing their own travel arrangements, including all air and ground transportation to and from the airport, and to make their own accommodation reservations.

There is no fee to participate in the trade mission. However, participants are responsible for covering all related travel costs, including airfare, accommodations, ground transportation and meals not included in the program.

Please make sure to purchase cancellation insurance and/or a refundable ticket in the event that the trade mission dates change.

Funding programs

Canadian companies interested in participating in a trade mission may benefit from CanExport Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), a Trade Commissioner Service program that provides funding to help Canadian SMEs looking to diversify their export markets.

• Those interested in applying for funding through this program should review eligibility requirements. Familiarizing yourself with the Applicant's Guide now will better prepare you to apply for funding for this trade mission or another international business project. Please consult the CanExport website for details.

The Government of Canada, as well as individual provincial and territorial governments, also offer a number of export financing and other programs that help Canadian businesses expand internationally.

Who can participate?

Team Canada Trade Missions welcome export-ready Canadian companies of all sizes, including exporters from diverse backgrounds, with strong potential to address opportunities in India and generate tangible business outcomes.

Eligibility criteria

Organizations must:

• Be export-ready and have demonstrated potential to succeed in the Indian market
• Have a commercialized product or service or one close to being commercialized
• Be able to demonstrate that the products and/or services they seek to promote through the trade mission will result in significant economic benefit for Canada (e.g. increased production in Canada, employment creation, technology transfer, increased R&D activity, etc.)
• Have conducted research on foreign markets and opportunities, especially preparatory work for the Indian market
• Have a realistic and credible international business plan
• Have allocated resources (human, material, time, and financial) toward internationalization

Priority will be given to organizations that:

• Operate in the sectors identified under Event details above
• Identify as being owned by entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds (i.e. those that are traditionally underrepresented in trade – women, Indigenous Peoples, Black and other racialized entrepreneurs, 2SLGBTQI+ and youth).

Interested in the Indian market, but unsure whether you are ready for this opportunity? 

Take the Export Quiz

Register

Registration is closed

All applications will be subject to a screening process to assess export readiness, eligibility and suitability.  In order to deliver a robust program that is beneficial to participating businesses, the Trade Commissioner Service reserves the right to select those Canadian export-ready companies that are the most aligned with the sectoral focus and the objectives of the mission.

We anticipate a high demand for participation in this mission.  In order to maximize the number of companies able to participate, a maximum of two company representatives can register for the trade mission. Some specific program elements may have capacity limits that may only allow for the attendance of one representative per company.

If you are selected to be part of the business delegation, you will be provided with a detailed program and additional resources to assist you in organizing your travel arrangements.

Key contacts

Questions? Please reach out to the Trade Missions Team or the Trade Commissioner Service.