NITI Aayog held a high-level meeting with the Ministry of Trade and Export Development, Saskatchewan, Government of Canada.

The meeting was led by NITI Aayog Member Dr VK Saraswat and Saskatchewan Minister Jeremy Harrison.

Both sides discussed ways to enhance mutual trade and investment.

While addressing the Saskatchewan delegation, Dr Saraswat emphasized on the growing trade, commerce and economic partnerships between the two countries. He highlighted that the province of Saskatchewan is an important trading partner of India in the areas of pulses, clean energy, bio fuels, fertilizers, science and technology. He also mentioned that the province is popular among Indian students for its higher educational institutions.

Minister Jeremy Harrison stressed on the need for the two countries to collaborate on potential areas of mutual benefit. He mentioned the need for exploring avenues of collaboration in critical minerals and carbon capture, utilization and storage, and understanding India’s approach to critical minerals, food security, water management and grain handling/storage.

Deriving from the strengths of both India and Saskatchewan in the fields of mining, energy and agriculture, Dr Saraswat mentioned that going forward NITI Aayog will facilitate a dialogue between the partner countries to establish collaboration in R&D, manufacturing and innovation.

Trade and investment collaboration to be advanced through a facilitated dialogue targeting R&D, manufacturing and critical resource cooperation. High-level bilateral engagement aimed at enhancing mutual trade and investment and expanding cooperation in agriculture, clean energy, biofuels, fertilizers, education and technology. Parties agreed to pursue a formal dialogue, facilitated by NITI Aayog, to operationalise cooperation in R&D, manufacturing and innovation with thematic focus on critical minerals, carbon capture utilization and storage, food security, water management and grain handling and storage.