Nirmala Sitharaman Pitches Canadian Investors For Long-Term India Collaboration

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged leading Canadian institutional investors and businesses to deepen their long-term engagement with India, as she held a series of meetings in Toronto to strengthen India-Canada economic and investment ties.

Sitharaman met senior executives from Sun Life Financial, Canaccord Genuity, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), OMERS and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP), highlighting investment opportunities across insurance, infrastructure, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, real estate, critical minerals and technology.

During her meeting with Sun Life Financial President and CEO Kevin D. Strain, Sitharaman highlighted India's macroeconomic stability, expanding domestic market and development of digital and physical infrastructure. She also pointed to the liberalisation of the insurance sector, including the increase in the foreign direct investment limit from 74 per cent to 100 per cent, along with the government's vision of "Insurance for All by 2047".

Discussions also covered opportunities for Sun Life to expand its presence in insurance, asset management, alternatives and infrastructure, including through GIFT IFSC, while encouraging greater participation by Canadian institutional investors in India's growth.

With Canaccord Genuity CEO Dan Daviau and Vice Chair Rod Phillips, Sitharaman discussed ways to help Indian companies access global capital, expand overseas and pursue technology and business acquisitions. Critical minerals, mining, technology and sustainability were also discussed.

With CPPIB CEO John Graham, she explored expanding institutional investments in transmission, renewable energy, roads, ports, urban infrastructure, digital infrastructure and data centres, as well as opportunities through GIFT IFSC for private credit and international financial services.

Sitharaman also encouraged OMERS CEO Blake Hutcheson to deepen investments in transportation, transmission, renewable energy, logistics, urban infrastructure and real estate. Discussions with OTPP CEO Jo Taylor focused on infrastructure partnerships and co-investment.

She also participated in a Canadian business roundtable covering clean technology, critical minerals, energy, automotive, aerospace, AI, biotechnology and asset management.

The visit comes amid growing economic engagement between the two countries. India-Canada merchandise trade reached CAD 10.9 billion in 2025, while Canada's services exports to India stood at CAD 15.6 billion in 2024, up 16.3 per cent year-on-year.