Bengaluru Airport Signs MoU With Vancouver Airport of Canada

Bengaluru: International airports in Bengaluru and Canada's Vancouver signed a sister airport agreement on Friday to strengthen operational, technological, economic and air service links between southern India and western Canada, officials said.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Canada's Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu and other dignitaries, they said.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) outlines seven areas of collaboration between Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and Vancouver International Airport, including the use of technology and innovation to improve operations, officials said.

The collaboration will include work on Vancouver International Airport's (YVR) Digital Twin, as well as exploring emerging tools and potential pilot projects that could be jointly developed or tested by the YVR and Bengaluru airport teams, they added.

According to a statement from Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which operates Kempegowda International Airport, the agreement also aims to facilitate air cargo movement between southern India and Canada, particularly to support growing industries such as the technology sector in both regions. It also outlines the goal of establishing direct air services between Bengaluru and Vancouver.

The agreement was formalised at an event at Terminal 2 of Kempegowda International Airport, attended by senior representatives of both airports, Canada's High Commissioner to India, Christopher Cooter, Consul General of Canada in Bengaluru, Ryan Ward, and Sidhu.

"This agreement highlights the growing importance of the Canada-India corridor and the need for stronger collaboration across the aviation ecosystem to support passengers, cargo, and trade. The partnership between YVR and Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru is a practical example of that approach in action," Albert van Veen, vice-president of innovation and chief information officer at Vancouver International Airport, said in the statement.

"By working together, both airports are exploring ways to improve the passenger journey while enhancing operational efficiency and resilience, not to mention supporting continued travel and trade growth between our two countries," he said.

According to BIAL, two-way trade between Canada and India was valued at more than USD 10.9 billion in 2025, with both governments working to increase trade volumes considerably in the coming years.

British Columbia, which houses YVR, is home to nearly 5,00,000 people of Indian origin, one of the largest Indian diaspora communities in the world, accounting for close to 10 per cent of the province's population, the statement said.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru has witnessed considerable population growth, alongside the rapid expansion of its technology sector and increasing business-to-business ties with western Canada and the western United States, it added.

"This strategic partnership establishes a robust framework to advance technology integration and operational excellence by benchmarking against global best practices. By leveraging Vancouver's standing as a premier international gateway and Bengaluru's position as one of India's most dynamic aviation hubs, the collaboration will focus on co-developing next-generation capabilities across digital platforms, data-driven decision-making, and process optimisation," the statement said.

"Our teams will work closely to exchange proven models in smart airport technologies, sustainable operations, and terminal performance management, setting new benchmarks in efficiency, resilience, and passenger experience".

"This partnership reinforces our shared commitment to building future-ready airports that deliver consistently world-class outcomes," Girish Nair, chief operating officer of BIAL, said.

Sidhu said the agreement would help strengthen Canada's trade ties with India.

"As we move at speed to diversify Canada's trade relationships with partners like India, our trade corridors are seeing real results. At Vancouver International Airport, air cargo volumes grew by 7.4 per cent in 2025, and today's agreement with Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru lays the groundwork for direct air service to one of the world's fastest-growing markets. That means more trade, more investment and stronger people-to-people ties between our countries," he added.