CIF beings out its Dec 2025 Newsletter

Chair’s Message

Unbox Canada – A Real Gift to the World

Dear Friends,
The holiday season while a fun time to celebrate is also an occasion to take a thoughtful pause. It is a time for family and friends, shared meals, gifts, and moments of quiet joy. More importantly, it is a time for gratitude – gratitude for what we have today and renewed hope for what tomorrow can be.
This season, every such moment has filled me with deep appreciation for a gift we often take for granted, yet one that remains truly extraordinary – Canada.
Canada has long stood as a shining example of how diversity can truly work – not just as an ideal, but as a living, functioning reality. In an increasingly polarized world, Canada has been a trusted bridge – between cultures, between economies, and between differing worldviews. Historically, Canada has maintained a deep engagement with the United States, strong and enduring ties with Europe, earned considerable credibility across the Global South, and constructive, respectful partnerships across Asia and Africa.
We have led ethically and responsibly in food security, science and technology through world-class research and education, and stable financial institutions that have supported both domestic prosperity and global resilience. Canada has not only worked well for its own people but has consistently stepped up for others in moments of global need.
Yet, when things work well for a long time, complacency can quietly take hold. The challenges we have faced over the last few years – economic, social, and geopolitical – should not discourage us. On the contrary, I believe they are an opportunity. If we are willing to introspect honestly, recalibrate thoughtfully, and act decisively, these challenges will ultimately make Canada stronger. A nation that learns and course-corrects cannot lose. On the contrary, it can bounce back even stronger.
This is the moment to redefine our vision as a country and as a society. Where do we want Canada to be in the next 50 to 100 years?
With the natural resources, human capital, institutional strength, and moral credibility we possess, Canada is uniquely positioned not just to be a supplier to the world, but a trusted stabilizer at a time when volatility has become the global norm. In discussions across Canada, India, and many other parts of the world, the same themes consistently emerge – trust, consistency, peace, sustainable growth, critical minerals, food & water security, innovation, environmental stewardship, and the physical, mental, and economic well-being of humanity.
Canada fits naturally and powerfully into every one of these global priorities. We are not on the sidelines of history; we are meant to be a catalyst. (READ MORE)

Recalibrating Canada India Bilateral – A Way Forward By Pankaj Dave

Canada and India established diplomatic relations shortly after India gained independence in 1947. As fellow members of the Commonwealth of Nations, the two countries developed close diplomatic ties driven by shared democratic values. Over the intervening decades, the relationship has experienced its share of highs and lows in response to global and domestic developments.
In 2018, Canada and India formally elevated their bilateral to a ‘Strategic Partnership’, structured around ministerial-level dialogues on foreign policy, trade and investment, finance, and energy. Both countries further strengthened cooperation through official working groups focused on counterterrorism, security, agriculture, education, and science & technology.Leaders in both nations today recognize that the bilateral relationship has yet to reach its full potential, and that more collaborative efforts are required to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. India continues to be a key partner as Canada deepens its economic engagement in the Indo-Pacific region under its comprehensive regional strategy. In 2024, India was Canada’s seventh-largest goods and services trading partner, with two-way trade totaling $30.9 billion.
India, world’s most populous country, with a population of over 1.4 billion people and the distinction of being the world’s fastest-growing major economy, has emerged as one of the most attractive destinations for global investment and trade. Its vast consumer base, rapidly expanding digital ecosystem, and diversified economic landscape position India as a pivotal market for Canadian businesses seeking long-term commercial growth and strategic opportunities.
Canada under Prime Minister Mark Carney has embarked on an ambitious and unprecedented journey to fundamentally change the economic scene by building big, that include pipeline capacity, ports expansion and supply chain improvement nationwide. These initiatives will enable businesses to take advantage of accessing world markets more easily, especially with emerging markets, India being one of the most attractive destinations. (Read more)

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HEADLINES

Canada & India Close to $2.8 Billion Uranium Deal

According to recent reports, Canada and India are very close to finalizing a multi-billion multi-year contract for the supply of uranium. The $2.8 Billion, 10-year deal would let Canadian producer Cameco supply fuel for India’s growing nuclear fleet. India seeks long-term uranium security as it expands nuclear generation and aims to achieve 100 GW of nuclear energy capacity by 2047. (Read more.)

India Welcomes 100% FDI in Insurance Sector

In what is being described as the next-gen reforms, the insurance sector in India just received a boost of cash with the government introducing legislation that allows full (100%) Foreign Direct Investment in companies dealing in insurance products. Besides reducing the reliance on massive markets built up by the publicly owned companies, this change will encourage the big international players to seek majority control by expanding their stock holdings. Foreign entities were allowed only up to a maximum of 74% till now. (Read more.)

$67 Billion and counting… India’s AI Future

The world’s biggest corporations are hurrying to set up large scale Global Capability Centres (GCC) in India, plugging into the coming AI boom. Amazon is leading the pack with an investment of $35 billion. Google announced plans to invest $15 billion in building an AI hub in Visakhapatnam. Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, following a meeting with Prime Minister Modi, committed $17.5 billion – their largest ever in Asia – to help build the infrastructure, skills, and sovereign capabilities needed for India’s AI first future. (Read more.)

Canada’s Budget Envisages $1 Trillion Investment Over Five Years

Budgets are always controversial like the one Prime Minister Mark Carney presented recently. While only time will tell if all the ambitious numbers come true, the document is full of data points that bode well for Canada. Maybe not in the near future. Highlights include balancing day-to-day operating spending with revenues by 2028-29, shifting spending toward investments that grow the economy; and maintaining a declining deficit-to-GDP ratio to ensure disciplined fiscal management for future generations.(Read full document.)

India On Target to Become the World’s Biggest Scotch Whiskey Market

A high-spirited India can boast of the only peg measure in the world being named after a city – the Patiala peg. A very large one. The consumption of liquor, especially Scotch whiskey, is shooting though the roof. According to Scotch Whisky Association Chief Executive Mark Kent, India is set to become the world’s biggest Scotch whiskey market soon. He attributes this growth to competitive intensity, a trend towards premiumization and robust economic expansion in India. (Read more.)

Air Canada and Air India Renew Code Sharing Agreement

Air Canada and Air India have announced plans to renew their code sharing agreement previously suspended, beginning December 2025. The agreement will give multiple options to passengers travelling between Canada and India with a choice of destinations and connecting hubs that each airline currently operates. It is estimated that two million people fly between Canada and India annually. (Read more.)

Sensex Predicted to Hit 107,000

In a note released to investors in November, brokerage firm, Morgan Stanley, indicated that there is a 30% chance that the Indian stock index, Sensex, will touch or surpass 107,000 in the new year. The caveat the analysts have placed is that oil stays below $65. The Morgan Stanley report came ten days after Goldman Sachs gave a prediction of 29,000 for the Nifty by the end of 2026. Sensex at the year end stands at around 85,000. (Read more.)

AI-enabled Sustainable Aquaculture Technology Park in Andhra Pradesh

Kerala-based Kings Infra Ventures Ltd recently announced signing an agreement with the Andhra Pradesh government to develop a Rs 2,500-crore (≅$400 million) aquaculture technology park near Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh. The 500-acre facility will be India’s first AI-enabled through BlueTechOS, the company’s proprietary artificial intelligence operating system. The park will train 5,000 aquaculture professionals over five years and support multi-species cultivation including shrimp, seabass, grouper and tilapia for year-round production and export. (Read more.)

Canada, India, Australia Launch Trilateral Tech Partnership

Canada, India, and Australia have launched a trilateral technology and innovation partnership. The announcement was made during the G20 meeting held in South Africa recently jointly by Prime Minister Mark Carney, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Prime Minister Antony Albanese. “The initiative will deepen collaboration between democratic partners across three continents and three oceans in emerging technologies, support diversification of supply chains, clean energy and mass adoption of AI,” wrote Modi on his X channel. (Read more.)

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