During a visit to Mumbai, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand marked the launch of the new Canada-India Talent and Innovation Strategy and the signing of 13 new institutional partnerships. Introduced by Universities Canada and Colleges and Institutes Canada, the strategy brings together more than 20 leading Canadian institutions to deepen academic, research, and innovation cooperation with India. The initiative reinforces the strong people-to-people ties that underpin the bilateral relationship and positions education as a central pillar of Canada’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.
The strategy is designed to expand collaboration in research, student mobility, hybrid campuses, and artificial intelligence centres of excellence. By building on existing academic connections and cutting-edge research partnerships, the initiative aims to create new opportunities for students and researchers while supporting innovation-driven economic growth in both countries. It reflects a shared commitment to leveraging human capital and strengthening long-term institutional links.
Structured around four core pillars, the strategy focuses on embedding Canadian expertise in India’s priority sectors, translating knowledge and talent into measurable economic outcomes, rebalancing and deepening talent flows between the two countries, and demonstrating impact through timely implementation. The effort aligns with broader trends in expanding academic and commercial ties, including a recent memorandum of understanding between the University of Waterloo and Tata Consultancy Services to advance collaboration in artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
Canada and India share more than 75 years of diplomatic relations, supported by strong educational and cultural connections. Canadian institutions continue to attract Indian students and research partners, with growing opportunities in fields such as health, clean technology, and digital technologies. The strategy follows a historic February 2026 visit by more than 20 Canadian university presidents to India—the largest academic delegation ever sent by Canada—signalling a renewed commitment to long-term collaboration under Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, which promotes inclusive growth, innovation, and regional partnerships.
