Mumbai, February 27 (NationPress) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hailed India as the “world’s fastest-growing major economy” and signaled his intention to establish collaborations that could create new opportunities for Canadian employees and firms.

Upon arriving in Mumbai, Carney shared a video on X, stating, “India is the world’s fastest-growing major economy. We just landed in Mumbai to engage with business leaders — and build partnerships that will unleash new opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses.”

Accompanied by his wife, Diana Fox Carney, he commenced his inaugural official visit to India from February 27 to March 2. He was welcomed at the airport by Maharashtra's Minister of Protocol and Marketing, Jaykumar Rawal.

Carney’s itinerary includes various business engagements in Mumbai, where he will connect with Indian and Canadian CEOs, industry specialists, financial experts, innovators, educators, and representatives of Canadian Pension Funds operating in India.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, tweeted, “A warm welcome to Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada as he arrives in Mumbai on his first official visit to India. This visit is a vital step in fortifying India-Canada relations.”

He was welcomed by Minister Jaykumar Rawal at the airport. The partnership between India and Canada is rooted in shared democratic ideals, strong people-to-people connections, and expanding collaboration across various sectors.

After concluding his activities in Mumbai, Carney will arrive in New Delhi on Sunday evening, with plans to hold bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Hyderabad House on March 2.

According to the MEA, “Both leaders will assess the progress made to date across various facets of the India-Canada Strategic Partnership, building on earlier meetings in Kananaskis (June 2025) and Johannesburg (November 2025). They will also review ongoing cooperation in crucial areas such as trade and investment, energy, critical minerals, agriculture, education, research and innovation, and people-to-people connections.”

Additionally, they will discuss regional and global developments and participate in the India-Canada CEOs Forum in New Delhi.

The MEA noted that this visit is crucial for the normalization of India-Canada bilateral relations. The two Prime Ministers have previously agreed to pursue a constructive and balanced partnership based on mutual respect for each other’s concerns and sensitivities, strong people-to-people ties, and growing economic synergies. The upcoming meeting will be a chance to reaffirm the positive momentum and shared vision for a forward-looking partnership between India and Canada.

In a statement released before his arrival, the Canadian Prime Minister's Office emphasized that India is the world’s fastest-growing major economy and an influential player in global commerce and technology. In 2024, India was Canada’s seventh-largest trading partner in goods and services, with bilateral trade reaching $30.8 billion.

During a prior meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg last November, PM Modi highlighted that India aims for $50 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. He remarked on the significant potential for enhancing trade and investment ties between India and Canada.

“We have established a target of $50 billion by 2030 for our bilateral trade. Canadian Pension Funds are also displaying a strong interest in Indian enterprises,” he stated on X following the meeting.