Volume 19                Issue #06       June 2026

Canada Must Look Inward Before It Can Lead Outward

Dear Friends,

The dust has settled. The photographs are posted or published. The communiqués have been issued. India’s Commerce Minister has returned to India. And Canada, having hosted the largest trade delegation India has ever dispatched to any country, now faces the only question that actually matters.

What happens next?

In May, we had asked: Is Canada ready? Today, the honest answer is not yet. But being ready is a choice. The ninety days between now and Prime Minister Carney’s Canada Investment Summit on September 14-15 in Toronto will be the most consequential window of opportunity in the Canada-India bilateral relationship. What Canada does during this short period will determine whether the momentum of May becomes the transformation of September or just another well photographed missed opportunity.

This letter is not a celebration. It is not a complaint. It is a map.

What the Delegation Told Us?

India’s Commerce Minister arrived in Canada with a schedule that ran the full bilateral spectrum. Minister Piyush Goyal met with the stakeholders from every relevant quarter - from the PMO and federal ministries, to sovereign wealth funds and major institutional investors, to trade associations and diaspora community organisations. The resolve was unmistakable. The urgency was real. From Ottawa to Toronto, this was not a courtesy tour. It was a statement of intent.

Five sectors showed serious, substantive engagement during the week: agri-food & CEPA progress, energy & critical minerals, technology & digital economy partnerships, financial services & capital market access, manufacturing and industrial investment. The signals across all five were encouraging. The people on the Indian side who showed up were decision makers - people who move capital and launch important projects.

CIF was in the room for several of those conversations. What we heard was real. What we saw was promising.

What we did not see, and what this letter is partly about, was enough of Canada in the room.

The Room That Canada Did Not Build

When given the opportunity, CIF convened fifty individuals in a single meeting. In that room were Canadians, most of them from the Indian diaspora, who have spent years constructing trade relationships, shipment by shipment, partnership by partnership, across the Canada-India corridor. Their combined active trade accounts for ten percent of all bilateral trade between the two countries.

Ten percent. In one room.

These same people were not on the radar of Global Affairs Canada. They were not in the rooms that Export Development Canada was working. They were not consulted, convened, or leveraged by the institutions whose explicit mandate is to build Canadian trade. (READ MORE)

In a clear sign of the positive trend in the Canada India bilateral, a delegation from the body that represents almost one hundred and fifty thousand small and medium businesses arrive in Canada in May 2026 to explore mutual business opportunities. The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) is one of India's premier apex industry bodies. Founded in 1905, it operates as a proactive national chamber driving economic growth, policy advocacy, and entrepreneurship across the country, with a strong focus on empowering Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Ritesh Malik, Chair, CIF, welcomed the delegation and offered the support of Canada India Foundation in helping to build bridges that help the SME players in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. Speaking of the mission to Canada, Niraj, International Director, noted that PHD stood for Progress, Harmony and Development and that his organization is in Canada to study and interact with local bodies and businesses to identify their requirements for specific products and services that are available in India. “There are almost 80 million MSMEs in India and each one of them will be interested in doing business with Canada,” Niraj added.

Bharati, Senior Director, said that the PHD team and a few delegates from the industry are in Canada expecting to get clear inputs. “We are looking for support to develop the right kind of linkages. Punjab alone has five export hubs today, that are eager and ready to cater to customers in Canada.” The PHD delegation included entrepreneurs and professional from many sectors like healthcare, cyber security, trade finance, etc.



A lively discussion followed where PHD team raised many issues, including relaxing business visas to facilitate and boost trade. 

Prime Minister Carney meets with Prime Minister Modi

Prime Minister Mark Carney, met with the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Évian, France. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the positive momentum in India–Canada relations and noted with satisfaction the progress achieved since Prime Minister Carney’s successful visit to India in March 2026. Reaffirming their commitment to building a forward-looking strategic partnership, the leaders underscored the complementarities between the Indian and Canadian economies and highlighted the importance of resilient and reliable supply chains in strengthening global energy and food security. (Read more)

Following a number of social problems including housing in Canada attributed wrongly or rightly to the huge influx in student immigration to Canada, Ottawa had tightened the visa regime in recent years. Students applicants were reporting almost 75% rejection rates in certain consulates. According to a recent statement by Canada’s High Commissioner in India, Chris Cooper, genuine students are welcome once again now that certain issues like ‘diploma mills’ have been resolved. (Read more) 

India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, achieved the unique distinction of a the longest serving elected prime minister of independent India. And the congratulations have poured in from various heads of state. President Donald Trump while congratulating Modi wrote, “a great one he is.” Nehru who was India’s first prime minister served five years 1947-52 but was only elected in 1952, in the country’s the first general elections. (Read more)

According to a report jointly authored by Confederation of Indian Industry and the Canada-India Business Council noted that Indian companies have invested nearly CAD 11 billion across Canada in diverse sectors ranging from information technology, life sciences and manufacturing. The report was released during the recent visit of India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, to Canada. 50 Indian companies have a presence across eight of the 10 provinces and have generated more than 33,000 jobs. The employment generated by Indian companies has nearly doubled since 2023. (Read more)

Blackstone, CPP Announce US$30 Billion Investment in India

Foreign capital is flowing into India’s AI sector marking the country as one of the most promising players and markets for AI development. Canada Pension Plan and Blackstone recently announced plans to invest $30 billion in data centres that will have 5 gigawatts capacity. The investment is being channeled through Airtrunk, led by Robin Khuda, an Indian origin tech entrepreneur from the US. (Read more)

Sooryavanshi Makes Cricket History, Youngest Player Ever

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, referred to as wonderkid, made cricket history when he was called up to join the Indian national team set to take on England and Ireland in the late June 2026. At age 15, he becomes the youngest ever player to serve in a nation side, beating Sachin Tendulkar’s earlier record. Tendulkar played his first Test at the age of 16 years and 205 days in 1989. (Read more)

Investment Limits on NRI, OCI Investment Increased

India’s central bank, RBI, has announced a slew of measures to attract and retain foreign capital into the country. The policy changes are significant and introduced as incentives to the international capital that is looking for attractive destinations in a time of chaos and uncertainty. Among the several measures along with the tax benefits provided by the government is an increase in the limits for investment by NRIs and OCIs in equity instruments traded on the stock market without SEBI registration are being increased. (Read more)

India's Global Capability Centres (GCCs) set up by multinational corporations have taken the lead as one of the fastest-growing segments of the country's technology sector, outpacing the traditional IT services sector on several metrics. India is currently the world's largest GCC hub with over 2,100 centres, employs around 2.36 million people while generating nearly $100 billion in revenue. (Read more)

The ‘Indian’ Lawyer Who Derailed Trump’s $4 Trillion Tariff Plans

Neel Kumar Katyal, born to Indian immigrants, in the US, was the lead lawyer, attacking President Donald Trump’s most important economic agenda at the US Supreme Court. He explained in a recent TED talk how he managed to convince the judges to come around to his point of view. The judges ruled 6-3 against the tariff. A long-time democrat, Katyal once served as US Acting Solicitor General under President Barak Obama.

According to the US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, 99% of the US India trade deal is done and what needs to be sorted out is only 1% which is “of limited scope’. According to several media reports, the deal might be concluded as early as July 2026 as both sides sift through the last of the sticking points. Ironically, Trump has threated further tariffs if a deal is not reached in a suitable time frame. (Read more)

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a platform created by the US, Japan, Australia and India to largely counter China’s growing influence in the Indo Pacific, has been a non-starter with very little to show other than official statements. In a recent meeting held in New Delhi, however, they are trying to inject fresh momentum to the four-nation grouping. They announced a $30 billion investment plan, including public and private participation, to protect and diversify critical minerals supply chain, an area where China has a near monopoly. (Read more)

Three boys in their early 20s from Punjab who are believed to be student visa holders, have pleaded guilty in a Vancouver court to several charges involving firearms and explosives. The attack was directed at a residence in Surrey. The city has reported several incidents of violence recently allegedly related extortion attempts. Taranveer Singh (19 at the time of the incident), Harjot Singh (21), and Dayajeet Singh Billing (21) face varying prison terms from two to five years and will likely face deportation proceedings after serving their terms. (Read more)

We are proud to announce that Ray Gupta, a member Board of Governors of Canada India Foundation, and an avid supporter of the Canada India bilateral, has been conferred the Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree by York University. York U recognized Ray Gupta for his contributions that led to the creation of Ray and Jan Gupta & Family | Sunray Group Lecture Hall at the Markham Campus, supporting spaces where students learn, collaborate, and innovate. Ray Gupta received this prestigious honour at a convocation ceremony held on June 16, 2026.

Honorary degree recipients are recognized for their contributions to community building, their advocacy for social justice and their philanthropy.

Gupta is Chairman and CEO of Sunray Group, one of the largest privately owned hotel operators in Canada. Through the Sunray Foundation and personal giving, he has donated more than $1 million in recent years to numerous causes including the Scarborough Health Network, Northumberland Hills Hospital and Positive and Progressive Educational Support Canada, which funds girls' education in rural India.



He was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2025 and received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Canadian Hotel Investment Conference.

Canada India Foundation continued its efforts to help create awareness in the community to donate to the Canadian Blood Services. Blood is always a critical element in healthcare with the power to save lives. CIF is encouraging members of the Indo Canadian community to be proactive and help in this crucial program. 

Click here to join today

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Disclaimer: This monthly e-newsletter is produced by the Canada India Foundation (CIF), a registered not-for-profit organisation with an aim to provide meaningful communication between its own board of governors and with a larger audience of policy makers and industry leaders. Views expressed by writers are their own and the CIF does not necessarily agree with them. We do not claim to provide any advice on any subject. Similarly, we are not liable for any misrepresentation or misleading claims made by an advertiser. Content provided in this newsletter is for general information purposes only.