Chennai: Canada is keen on developing business relationship with Tamil Nadu in ICT, smart cities, aerospace, energy security, clean technology and education sectors.
There are a number of sectors where Canada sees real opportunity, Jennifer Daubeny, Consul General of Canada for South India, told Deccan Chronicle.
“I see real entrepreneurial culture in the private sector here. Some of it happens in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and in Chennai in terms of start-ups. We are increasing our business. Our government facilitates it and Canadian companies do business here,” she said. Speaking on the sidelines of Canada’s 150th anniversary celebrations here, Ms. Jennifer said that things are changing in India as they need to. Canada is in a position to contribute towards sectors prioritised by government like ICT; smart cities, energy security, clean technologies and solar energy.
“Twenty five Canadian companies have invested in TN and some of them have been here for a while. We are looking at how we can we fit into some of the priority programmes in India like Skill India and Digital India. We also recognise that success is going to come by partnering with local companies and working together,” the Consul General emphasised. Canadian companies in TN are involved in manufacturing technology, clean technology, ICT and educational services.
Encouraging Canadian firms to provide infrastructure solutions:
Canada has encouraged its companies to provide infrastructure solutions and explore India’s education sector, which offers a huge opportunity partly because of India’s population. “We have 75,000 Indian students studying in Canada now and they are the second biggest group of foreigners now,” she said.
Canada’s exports, according to her, are predominantly commodity based– pulses and diamonds; there is also export of financial services. At present both India and Canada have exports worth four billion Canadian dollars on either side and both the countries are eager to step it up. About 100 Indian companies including six from TN (IT firms) have invested in Canada while 400 Canadian companies have invested in India and 25 of them (with an investment to the tune of 150 billion dollars) have presence in Tamil Nadu.
Agreeing that there is certainly some work to be done at the government level with regard to nuclear energy sector she said Canadian technology is very safe.
To a question on collaborating on the war against terror, she replied that India is certainly an important partner. “Both Canada and India are actively engaged in this particular area. We want to develop defence relationships. That’s something we are collaborating on and most of it is done by our mission in Delhi. India is certainly an important partner,” she said.
