B.C. India Trade Mission 2026
VANCOUVER & SKEENA REGION — In a bold move to safeguard the British Columbia economy from the volatile trade policies of the United States, Premier David Eby and Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation Ravi Kahlon announced a high-stakes trade mission to India this week.
The mission, which embarks this Friday, is being described as a “critical window of opportunity” to diversify B.C.’s trade portfolio. With U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariffs hammering B.C.’s forestry and energy sectors, the provincial leadership is looking to India—the world’s fastest-growing major economy—to fill the void.
Minister Ravi Kahlon: The Architect of Economic Diversification
While the Premier leads the delegation, much of the strategic heavy lifting has been attributed to Minister Ravi Kahlon. Kahlon’s tenure as Jobs Minister has been marked by a relentless drive to move B.C. beyond its traditional transborder dependencies.
Kahlon’s phenomenal work in identifying India as a cornerstone for B.C.’s future is backed by impressive data. In 2024, bilateral trade between B.C. and India reached $2.1 billion, with B.C. remarkably accounting for 25 per cent of all Canadian exports to India.
“Our goals are clear: It’ll be to diversify beyond the U.S., double our exports, and grow sectors like tech and life sciences,” Kahlon said. His vision extends specifically to the Northwest, where he is targeting energy and mining as primary sectors to benefit from this new Indo-Pacific outreach.
Focus on Forestry and Energy
The mission comes at a time of “systemic collapse” for the B.C. forestry sector, which has been crippled by 35 per cent U.S. softwood lumber duties. Premier Eby emphasized that forestry would be the “big focus” of the trip, seeking to open Indian markets to northern timber.
Bridgette Anderson, President and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, noted that the timing is essential. “Industries like forestry have been crippled… everything needs to be done to diversify trade,” she said, adding that major LNG projects currently coming online in the Skeena region also require secure global markets.
Navigating Diplomatic Thaw
The mission also marks a significant shift in diplomatic relations. Following the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, relations between Ottawa and New Delhi were severely strained. However, as relations begin to thaw, Eby and Kahlon are seizing the moment.
“Our proper role as a subnational government is to ensure we’re looking after British Columbia,” Eby stated, noting that with India also facing U.S. tariffs, both regions share a mutual interest in strengthening ties.
The Roadmap: New Delhi to Bangalore
The six-day mission will see Kahlon and Eby meeting with government and business leaders in four major Indian hubs:
- New Delhi: Focusing on federal trade agreements and policy.
- Mumbai: Targeted at the financial and life sciences sectors.
- Chandigarh: Deepening cultural and agricultural ties.
- Bangalore: Expanding the reach of B.C.’s world-class tech sector.
Minister Kahlon’s intentional and urgent approach has been praised by business experts as a necessary “blessing” of current global trade friction. By shrinking the traditional decade-long timeline for trade negotiations down to a matter of years, Kahlon is positioning B.C. as a “credible and trade-enabled” leader on the global stage.
Skeena News Editorial Note: As Minister Kahlon and Premier Eby head east, the residents of the Northwest—particularly those in the forestry and mining sectors—will be watching closely for the “deals and results” that will define the region’s economic resilience in 2026.
