 Early Times Report
CHANDIGARH, Jan 17: Underscoring Haryana's growing global engagement and its commitment to forging meaningful international partnerships, Chief Minister, Nayab Singh Saini on Friday held a meeting with a high-level delegation from British Columbia, Canada, led by the Premier David Eby. The interaction focused on exploring opportunities for collaboration across key sectors and strengthening State-Province level cooperation between Haryana and British Columbia. During this Chief Principal Secretary to CM Rajesh Khullar, Commissioner and Secretary, Foreign Cooperation Department Amneet P. Kumar also remained present.
Welcoming the delegation, the Chief Minister said that the Government of Haryana attaches great importance to State-Province partnerships, which play a vital role in deepening India-Canada relations and strengthening economic, technological and people-to-people ties. He said that such engagements help translate shared democratic values into practical cooperation and long-term collaboration.
Nayab Singh Saini said that British Columbia is among Canada's most progressive provinces, with notable achievements in clean energy, technology, logistics and sustainable development. Haryana, he said, is one of India's leading industrial and investment destinations, with strong capabilities in automobiles, electronics, IT services, agri-processing, logistics and renewable energy. He emphasized that the complementary strengths of both regions offer significant scope for mutually beneficial cooperation.
Detailed discussions were also held regarding collaboration in technology and digital sectors, including IT services, digital platforms and AI-based solutions, alongside cooperation in the agri-food and food processing sector, focusing on value-added agriculture, cold-chain infrastructure, food safety standards and export promotion.
Highlighting priority areas, the Chief Minister drew attention to British Columbia's expertise in clean technologies, its forward-looking environmental policies, strong innovation ecosystems, and the strategic importance of the Port of Vancouver as a Pacific trade gateway. These strengths, he said, align closely with Haryana's vision for sustainable industrial growth and expansion of global trade linkages.
Growing Trade Ties Offer Significant Expansion Potential
Referring to trade relations, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that India-Canada bilateral trade, currently valued at around USD 9 billion annually, has substantial potential for further expansion. He further shared that Haryana-Canada trade, estimated at approximately USD 280 million, is steadily increasing, particularly in engineering goods, auto components, IT services and processed food products, and that British Columbia can serve as an important platform for further enhancing Haryana's exports to Canada. |
