Strengthening Trade, Investment & Job Creation: Agenda Of Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand's Mumbai Visit
Mumbai: Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, will visit Mumbai this week as part of her six-day tour of India, Singapore, and China, underlining Canada’s growing focus on the Indo-Pacific region. Anand’s visit to Mumbai, India’s financial capital, will centre on strengthening trade, investment, and job-creation partnerships between Canadian and Indian firms.
The minister is expected to meet representatives from leading financial institutions and corporations that play key roles in both economies. The focus will be on exploring opportunities in sectors such as agriculture, critical minerals, clean energy, and technology, aligning with both nations’ economic and sustainability goals.
Meetings in Delhi to Set Broader Bilateral Agenda
Before arriving in Mumbai, Minister Anand will hold talks in New Delhi with External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. Discussions will revolve around establishing a strategic cooperation framework to advance mutual interests in trade diversification, energy transformation, and security collaboration.
The meetings are part of Canada’s broader effort to position itself as a trusted partner in the Indo-Pacific, in line with the country’s Indo-Pacific Strategy launched in 2022.
Mumbai: Gateway for Investment and Collaboration
Mumbai’s strategic role as a global financial hub makes it a key stop in Minister Anand’s visit. Canada and India already share over 75 years of diplomatic relations, and bilateral trade reached $33.9 billion in 2024. Canada’s merchandise exports to India totalled $5.3 billion, led by agricultural products, machinery, and minerals.
By engaging directly with Indian industry leaders, Anand aims to enhance commercial cooperation and attract Indian investment to Canada’s infrastructure, clean technology, and innovation sectors.
Strengthening Indo-Pacific Partnerships
Following her engagements in India, Minister Anand will travel to Singapore and China to deepen Canada’s regional partnerships. In Singapore, she will meet Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan as both countries mark 60 years of diplomatic ties.
Her visit to China will include talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi to mark 55 years of diplomatic relations, focusing on trade, communication, and regional cooperation.
Minister Anand: ‘Building Bridges Across the Indo-Pacific’
Emphasising the spirit of collaboration, Anand said, “For Canada to be strong at home, we need strong, stable partnerships abroad. I am building bridges and increasing cooperation with India, Singapore and China. In line with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, I will work to position Canada as a trusted, reliable partner of choice for Indo-Pacific countries and their economies.”
India, poised to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2025, remains central to Canada’s Indo-Pacific outreach. The visit underscores Ottawa’s commitment to nurturing people-to-people ties, trade, and innovation partnerships that can foster mutual economic growth and long-term stability in the region.
Minister Anand’s Mumbai leg is expected to reinforce the city’s importance as a hub for Canada-India collaboration, opening new doors for investments, sustainable projects, and shared prosperity.
news