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Canada launches new talent and innovation strategy for deeper ties with India
The new strategy is based on four key pillars, including embedding Canadian capability in India’s priority sectors.
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Ishani Duttagupta - Sun, 01, Mar 2026
- 02:50 EST
- 13
Representative image / AI generated
In what is being seen as a reset and rebalance in the Indo-Canada educational and knowledge ties, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand celebrated the launch of the new Canada-India Talent and Innovation Strategy during her visit to Mumbai on Feb. 28, along with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Launched by Universities Canada and Colleges and Institutes Canada, this strategy represents over 20 of Canada’s top institutions, deepens cooperation with India, and strengthens the people-to-people ties that continue to anchor the bilateral relationship, according to a press release by Global Affairs Canada of the Canadian government. India is central to Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, and education and research partnerships create innovative ties and long-term cooperation.
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Minister Anand welcomed the new strategy, which will facilitate research, student exchanges, hybrid campuses, and AI centers of excellence between Canada and India. “We have vast human capital, with students and faculty already deeply connected on cutting-edge research. This agreement will reinforce collaboration through opportunities for students and researchers, drive economic growth, and deepen the strong people-to-people ties that connect our two countries,” she said.
As is known, Canada has unveiled stricter student visa norms over the past year, resulting in a huge drop in the number of Indians going to Canadian universities for higher education. Since 2025, there has been a higher rejection rate for Canadian study permits for Indian students because of tighter immigration policies and fraudulent document detection.
The Canadian government has also implemented caps on international student permits, reducing the total allocation. While Canada’s academic and research institutions remain highly attractive to Indian students, Canada is now looking at opportunities to expand joint research, vocational training, and innovation partnerships in priority fields, such as health, clean technology, and digital technologies.
The new strategy is based on four key pillars, including embedding Canadian capability in India’s priority sectors. The other pillars are translating knowledge and talent into economic outcome, rebalancing and deepening the talent relationship, and demonstrating credibility through speed and delivery.
During a recent visit to India, Evan Solomon, Canada’s minister of artificial intelligence and digital innovation, witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the University of Waterloo and Tata Consultancy Services. This reflected the broad trend toward deepening academic and commercial ties between the two countries, accelerating skills development and business expansion between Canada and India.
In Jan. 2026, a large academic delegation from Canada, of 20 university presidents, visited India, symbolizing a new era of deepened partnership and long-term commitment between the two nations. There were 13 new partnerships signed between Canadian and Indian universities during the visit. Most of these agreements are focused on faculty and student mobility, joint academic programming, and research collaboration.
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