Quebec seeks stronger India ties in AI, aerospace and investment
New Delhi — Quebec is looking to deepen its economic engagement with India by expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence, aerospace, education and clean technologies, while encouraging more two-way investment and business partnerships, a minister from the Canadian province said.
Christopher Skeete, Quebec’s Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie, told IANS that the province is focused on diversifying its economy and building stable, long-term partnerships with India.
“For us, it’s about diversifying our economy, making sure that we have stable relationships with India, and we think there are a lot of synergies to develop. We are very excited about it,” Skeete said.
He identified AI, aerospace and education as sectors with strong potential for collaboration, saying universities in Quebec and India have complementarities that can be developed further.
“Aerospace is a great place. Artificial intelligence is another great area, but also education. There is a lot of proximity between our universities. We need to do more there,” he told IANS.
Skeete said the world is changing quickly and that countries need reliable partners to build secure supply chains and stable economic relationships.
Inviting Indian companies to explore opportunities in Quebec, Skeete said the province offers a favorable environment for entrepreneurs and innovation-driven businesses.
“There are a lot of opportunities for Indian investors. We love entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial experience. There are great things for Indian companies to do in Quebec, and also for Quebec companies to do here in India,” he said.
He said Quebec is keen to strengthen its presence in India to support business engagement and investment flows in both directions.
Skeete said emerging technologies will be a key pillar of future cooperation, with AI and aerospace expected to play central roles in the next phase of Quebec-India economic ties.
“Artificial intelligence defines the future, and Quebec is very well positioned in that sphere. We can do a lot together. Aerospace is another priority where both sides have significant opportunities,” he said.
Rather than setting long-term targets, Skeete said the immediate focus is on creating tangible business outcomes.
“We need to have businesses from India come to Quebec, we need to have businesses from Quebec come here, and we need to foster those links now so that in 10 years we can say it was a great success,” he said.
Skeete said he held meetings with officials at both the state and central government levels during his visit and is looking to strengthen institutional cooperation to further improve the business climate between Quebec and India. (Source: IANS)
