April 1, 2026 (Toronto) – On the heels of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India, Seneca Polytechnic joined the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) delegation in its tri-city mission to India. With visits to New Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai, the 25+ delegation met with senior officials from government, industry and education to support the restructuring of a longstanding partnership between Canada and India.
Kicking off on March 8, the mission included a reception hosted by Canada’s High Commissioner for India, Christopher Cooter and his wife Karen Blumenschein. Representatives from Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service were part of the ICCC itineraries in each of the cities visited.
Activities centered on strengthening collaborations and solidifying growth in education, skill development, talent pipelines, AI, sustainability and emerging technologies. In addition to discussions with business and industry leaders and with national and state chambers of commerce, the ICCC were hosted to meetings with senior government and private sector officials, including:
- Hon. Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, who met with the delegation in the New Parliament House
- Hon. Nayab Saini, Chief Minister of Haryana
- Hon. Hardeep Singh Mundian, Cabinet Minister, Revenue, Rehabilitation & Disaster Management, Government of Punjab
- Hon. Dattatreya Bharane, Minister of Agriculture, Government of Maharashtra
- Ashish Chauhan, CEO of the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE)
- Vijay Kalantri, President of the World Trade Centre
Another highlight of the mission was Seneca signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Thakur Institute of Management Studies and Research (TIMSR) at the World Trade Centre in Mumbai in front of its president Mr. Kalantri, the Senior Trade Commissioner at the Consulate General of Canada Andrew Maharaj and other dignitaries. The MOU is a further deepening of a vibrant relationship between Seneca and TIMSR that has included academic pathways, faculty exchanges and joint applied research.
Female members of ICCC were invited to the ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality’ ceremony hosted by the NSE in Mumbai as part of the global initiative led by UN Women. The event highlighted the role of capital markets in promoting gender equality and inclusive economic growth.
Representing Seneca President David Agnew on the mission was Renata D’Innocenzo, Vice-President, Strategy and Brand and President Agnew’s Chief of Staff. President Agnew said of the mission, “This renewed partnership between India and Canada gives us the opportunity to further strengthen important relationships with key academic partners CIIS, DEI, GLS, INSCOL, ITM and TIMSR.
“At Seneca, India has always been an important partner country with strong institutional collaborations in higher education and government. As we reimagine our international education and training, we look forward to future opportunities to collaborate in a variety of sectors, aligning with the commitments made by prime ministers Carney and Modi.”
Joining the ICCC delegation as a leading member of the 1.8 million-strong Indo-Canadian community was Nina Tangri, Ontario’s Associate Minister of Small Business.
Chair of the ICCC Advisory Board, and delegate, Kam Rathee was delighted with how the mission surpassed expectations. “The ICCC has just concluded a high powered 28-member business mission to India following Prime Minister’s Carney's recent successful visit to India,” said Mr. Rathee. “A five-sector contingent had a strong education complement with Seneca Polytechnic, a premier educational institution in Canada. Seneca’s participation highlighted its commitment to viewing India as a major player and continued partner in its international strategy.”