ICCC’s six-city India Mission 2013

Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC)’s India Mission 2013 came to a successful conclusion in Amritsar January 16. It started January 3 from Toronto. During the two-week program, the Mission visited Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar, Delhi and Amritsar. Led by ICCC’s President Naval Bajaj, the India Mission 2013 comprised over a 100 small businesses from Canada and also includes a team from the Cities of Brampton and Markham led by their respective mayors – Her Worship Susan Fennell (Brampton) and His Worship Frank Scarpitti (Markham).

After successful participation in the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Kochi, where Hon. Jason Kenney, Canada’s Minister for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, along with Hon. Dr. Asha Seth, Senator and Hon. Joe Daniel, Member of Parliament, had accompanied the India Mission 2013 delegates, the delegation reached Ahmedabad to participate in Vibrant Gujarat 2013 Business Summit. ICCC was one of the Partner Organizations of the Summit, and Canada was a partner country. Hon. Jason Kenney participated in the inaugural ceremony of the Summit along with Hon. Patrick Brown, Member of Parliament and Chair Canada-India Parliamentary Association. They were also present at the Canada Country seminar and at the Canada-Gujarat seminar organized by ICCC in collaboration with the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Petroleum University (PDPU). Two MoUs were signed by ICCC one with the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and the other with PDPU.

Mayors of Brampton and Markham Her Worship Susan Fennell and His Worship Frank Scarpitti along with ICCC President Naval Bajaj met the Mayor of Ahmedabad Asit Vora. During the meeting the two GTA Mayors discussed the exchange of knowhow on civic issues such as waste management and possibilities of collaboration between their cities with Ahmedabad. Asit Vora explained the diverse operations of the Ahmedabad municipal corporation. ICCC President invited the Mayor of Ahmedabad to GTA with a delegation of small businesses, which Asit Vora accepted.

The Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) organized an interactive session with ICCC to explore trade ties and possibilities of collaboration between small businesses in Canada and Gujarat. Speaking on the occasion, Naval Bajaj emphasized that it was to encourage small businesses in Canada that the Chamber had undertaken the trade mission. He said that the cities of Brampton and Markham had decided to join the delegation because they take small businesses seriously and they are keen that small businesses located in their cities take to globalization. After the interactive session, Presidents of both the organizations signed a memorandum of understanding for future collaboration.

The ICCC-led delegation to Vibrant Gujarat was the largest foreign delegation at the Summit. Altogether 50,000 delegates from 120 countries attended the Summit. ICCC was one of the partner organizations of the three-day global business summit and Canada was the Partner Country. Hon. Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat conveyed his deep appreciation to Hon. Jason Kenney, Canada's Minister for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, that the Canadian delegation was the largest of all international delegations. The Gujarat Chief Minister also specifically mentioned ICCC for leading thelargest international delegation to the Summit, and lauded Naval Bajaj's commitment to foster bilateral ties. 

On the occasion of the global business summit, Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, wrote a special letter to Hon. Narendra Modi, in which he lauded the entrepreneurial spirit of Gujarat and said that the state is playing an important role in strengthening Canada-India relations.

Prime Minister Harper said that Gujarat, one of India’s most dynamic and industrious states, is world-renowned for its entrepreneurial spirit. “The state is an important partner for Canada thanks to its strategic location, strong economic credentials, and multilingual skilled workforce.”

Describing Vibrant Gujarat Summit as an international platform which provides a wonderful opportunity to foster new commercial relationships and enhance people-to-people ties, Harper said that Canada recently opened a trade office in Ahmedabad to facilitate new business and trade opportunities for Canada and the Gujarati community.

Chris Hill, President, Electric Mobility Canada (EMC) was the keynote speaker at the Canada Country Seminar. The subject of the seminar was Canada – the Preferred Business Destination.  His Excellency Stewart Beck gave the welcome remarks and representatives of provinces from British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Saskatchewan made presentations on what their provinces have to offer to investors. Mayors of Brampton and Markham also made presentations about their cities. 

His Excellency Stewart Beck, the High Commissioner of Canada to India, in his speech, noted that ICCC had done well by following up the Prime Minister Stephen Harper's November visit to India with leading a trade delegation of small businesses to India.

In his closing remarks, Naval Bajaj, said, “Canada and India share many commonalities such as democracy, respect for human rights, pluralism, religious freedom and the rule of law. We also have long-standing people-to-people relations. India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world and it needs resources to keep the momentum of its growth. Canada has enough resources to fulfill the Indian needs in sectors like energy, mining, food processing, education, skill development etc. The cooperation and collaboration of both countries in these sectors will be a win-win situation.”

At the Canada-Gujarat Business and Trade Opportunities Seminar, Hon. Jason Kenney gave the keynote address. He said that just as Gujarat has the strongest economy in India, Canada has the strongest economy in G-7. Working together, the potential to support each other’s prosperity is boundless." Gujarat’s Minister for Energy, Hon. Saurabh Patel was the guest of honour. In his presentation, Naval Bajaj gave innumerable examples of how trade and business between Gujarat and Canada can be enhanced. Giving a telling example of diamond trade, the ICCC President said, “Gujarat is the hub of diamond trade. There is negligible direct trade in diamonds between Canada and India because the bulk of the trade is routed through Europe. Canada is one of the world’s largest producers and India is one of the world’s largest importers of rough diamonds. If Canada and Gujarat are able to establish direct linkages in this trade I am certain the $15 billion two-way trade target will be easily achieved and long before the 2015 deadline. Our Chamber signed a MoU with the Diamond Bourse of Canada to explore ways and means to establish direct diamond trade.” He emphasized that the Canada-Gujarat platform that the ICCC provided at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit was to showcase the vibrancy of Canada as much as that of Gujarat.