Mumbai (Gurpreet Singh/Rajeev Sharma) — In a move signalling a major thaw and “normalization” of bilateral relations, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Tata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran in Mumbai on Sunday, March 1, 2026. The high-level meeting focused on deepening cooperation between India and Canada in critical future-facing sectors, specifically Artificial Intelligence (AI), renewable energy, and technology. Carney, who is on his first official visit to India since taking office, characterized both nations as “growing economies with big ambitions” that can partner to create mutual security and prosperity.
“Canada and India are both growing economies with big ambitions in energy, technology, and AI,” Prime Minister Carney posted on X following the meeting. “Natarajan Chandrasekaran and I met in Mumbai to discuss how our countries can partner in these areas to create greater security and prosperity for both our peoples.” The engagement with the Tata Group—a global conglomerate with significant interests in both countries—is seen as a cornerstone of Carney’s four-day visit, which aims to move past recent diplomatic friction and focus on a robust economic agenda.
Arriving in Mumbai on February 27, the Canadian Prime Minister has spent the last two days engaging with a wide array of Indian and Canadian CEOs, financial experts, and representatives from Canadian Pension Funds, which hold multi-billion dollar stakes in Indian infrastructure. This business-heavy itinerary is a prelude to the political core of the visit; Carney arrived in New Delhi later on Sunday and is scheduled to hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House on March 2. The two leaders will review the “India-Canada Strategic Partnership,” building on momentum from their previous meetings in Kananaskis and Johannesburg in 2025.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the upcoming talks in New Delhi will cover key pillars including trade, critical minerals, agriculture, and education. A significant highlight of the visit will be the joint participation of both Prime Ministers in the India-Canada CEOs Forum. As the two nations look to stabilize their relationship, the focus on AI and energy security represents a pragmatic “reboot” of ties, leveraging Canada’s resource wealth and India’s massive digital and human capital
