From introducing new leadership and expanding its Washington presence to supporting high-level trade negotiations and record business delegations, CII says the first half of 2026 marked significant progress in strengthening India’s economic partnerships with the United States and Canada.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has outlined a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s economic partnerships with the United States and Canada, highlighting new organizational leadership, expanded trade engagement, and growing investment cooperation across North America during the first half of 2026.
In its Summer 2026 update, CII described the period as one marked by renewed momentum in India–North America relations, citing progress in India-U.S. engagement, record Indian participation at the SelectUSA Investment Summit, and a significant revival in India-Canada economic ties.
The organization also announced the relocation of its North America office to 1899 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 525, Washington, D.C., positioning itself to further support business engagement across the region.
CII also introduced its leadership team for 2026–27 following its National Council Meeting held in New Delhi. R. Mukundan, Managing Director and CEO of Tata Chemicals, assumed office as President, while Bharat Biotech Co-Founder and Managing Director Dr. Suchitra Ella became President-Designate. Shashwat Goenka, Vice Chairman of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, was elected Vice President.
According to CII, the new leadership brings extensive experience across manufacturing, biotechnology, innovation, and global business, reinforcing the organization’s focus on improving India’s competitiveness and strengthening international economic partnerships.
The organization remained actively engaged in India-U.S. financial sector discussions during April, hosting a series of meetings in Washington, D.C., California, and New York with Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey. The discussions brought together senior representatives from private equity, venture capital, fund management, and financial services to examine India’s evolving investment environment.
CII also partnered with the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) to host a high-level investor roundtable in Washington, D.C., featuring Department of Economic Affairs Secretary Anuradha Thakur and Chief Economic Advisor Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran. The discussions highlighted India’s macroeconomic stability, infrastructure development, and expanding innovation ecosystem.
One of the year’s major milestones came during the 2026 SelectUSA Investment Summit, where India emerged as the third-largest international delegation. CII, in partnership with the Embassy of India, organized the India Reception, bringing together representatives from 90 Indian companies and officials from 27 U.S. states and territories.
The event featured remarks from Deputy Chief of Mission Namgya Khampa, U.S. Department of Commerce Deputy Under Secretary Brandon Remington, Delaware Governor Matt Meyer, Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero, and Maryland Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, all emphasizing expanding economic cooperation and investment opportunities.
Trade negotiations also remained a key priority as discussions on the proposed India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement continued during 2026. CII said it remained actively involved through consultations with policymakers and submissions to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative regarding Section 301 investigations.
During recent hearings, CII presented testimony emphasizing that Indian industry remains committed to internationally recognized labor standards while advocating for collaborative approaches to eliminating forced labor rather than relying primarily on tariff measures.
Meanwhile, India-Canada commercial ties received renewed attention following Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal’s landmark visit to Canada from May 25 to 27. The visit included the largest Indian business delegation ever to travel to Canada, comprising more than 100 companies representing sectors such as mining, energy, aerospace, automotive, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and agriculture.
Both governments reaffirmed their goal of expanding bilateral trade from approximately USD 8.5 billion to USD 50 billion by 2030 while working toward concluding the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by the end of 2026.
During the visit, CII and the Canada India Business Council jointly released the second edition of the report From India to Canada: Economic Impact and Engagement, documenting the growing presence of Indian investment across Canada.
According to the report, 50 Indian companies have invested more than CAD 11 billion in Canada, supporting over 33,000 jobs across eight provinces while investing approximately CAD 1.1 billion in research and development. The report also found that every surveyed company plans to expand investment in Canada, while 97 percent expect to increase hiring over the next five years.
CII also participated in the Western Canada–India Business Leaders Summit in Regina, Saskatchewan, where discussions focused on strengthening investment partnerships and expanding business opportunities between the two countries.
The organization said the developments during the first half of 2026 demonstrate growing confidence in India as a strategic economic partner and reflect CII’s ongoing efforts to deepen commercial engagement across North America.
