Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has concluded a high-profile series of engagements across Canada and the United States, using the opportunity to showcase India’s economic transformation and reinforce its position as one of the world’s most attractive destinations for trade, investment and innovation.

During his visit to Toronto and New York, Mr Goyal met political leaders, global investors, business executives, technology innovators and members of the Indian diaspora, highlighting India’s reform-driven growth trajectory and its expanding role in the global economy. The outreach formed part of India’s broader strategy to strengthen economic partnerships with key international markets and attract long-term investments across a range of sectors.

Canada

In Canada, the minister pitched India as a trusted and dependable economic partner while holding discussions on investment, innovation and trade cooperation. Meetings with business leaders, pension fund executives and technology institutions focused on opportunities in clean energy, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, critical minerals and digital technologies.

Addressing members of the Indian business delegation accompanying him, Minister Goyal said India’s rising global economic stature was creating unprecedented opportunities for Indian enterprises around the world. He reiterated the Government of India’s commitment to supporting businesses in taking India’s growth story to international markets.

A key engagement during the visit was his meeting with Ontario Premier Doug Ford. The two leaders discussed avenues for expanding collaboration between India and Ontario in manufacturing, technology, infrastructure, food processing, clean energy and critical minerals. The discussions reflected growing interest in building stronger economic linkages between India and one of Canada’s most important economic regions.

Mr Goyal also met Mr Goldy Hyder, President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, where discussions centred on strengthening commercial engagement and promoting industry-led partnerships in technology, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, clean energy and critical minerals. Both sides acknowledged the importance of the India-Canada CEO Forum in fostering stronger business-to-business connections and driving future collaboration.

Investment opportunities formed a major theme throughout the visit. In meetings with John Graham, President and CEO of CPP Investments, and with Jo Taylor, the minister explored possibilities for expanding institutional investments into India. Discussions covered infrastructure, logistics, renewable energy, transportation, digital infrastructure, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing and technology. Goyal noted that the continued commitment of leading global investment institutions reflected growing international confidence in India’s economic fundamentals and long-term growth potential.

The minister also visited the Ontario Centre of Innovation and interacted with participants of the Canada-India Tech Connect initiative. Discussions focused on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, deep-tech innovation and agritech. Mr Goyal emphasised that Canada and India possess complementary strengths and can work together to create globally competitive innovation ecosystems.

At the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, he highlighted India’s rapid economic rise, transformative reforms and expanding global influence. He called for deeper engagement among academia, policymakers and industry leaders while stressing the importance of stronger trade, investment and people-to-people connections between India and Canada.

Addressing a community reception organised by the Consulate General of India in Toronto, Mr Goyal described India as the world’s fastest-growing major economy and encouraged the Indian diaspora to play a greater role in strengthening bilateral relations. He observed that India and Canada possess complementary economic strengths and significant untapped potential for cooperation. He also pointed to India’s expanding network of free trade agreements, noting that the country has concluded multiple trade pacts covering 28 nations in recent years.

The minister’s Canadian visit came against the backdrop of efforts by both countries to stabilise and rebuild bilateral ties after a period of diplomatic strain. Significantly, India and Canada continue to pursue the ambitious objective of increasing bilateral trade from the current level of approximately US$8.5 billion to US$50 billion by 2030. Ongoing negotiations on the proposed India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) remain central to that goal.