INDIAN Consul General Manish this week attended the Diwali Gala event hosted by the BC-India Business Network. The event was attended by over 300 guests, including Premier David Eby; Premier of Yukon, Ranj Pillai; Speaker of B.C. Legislative Assembly, Raj Chouhan: Jagrup Brar, Minister of State for Trade; business leaders and representatives of educational institutions actively engaged in promoting the India-Canada Economic Corridor.
The Founder and President Emeritus of BC-IBN, Vivek Savkur, acknowledged and applauded the invaluable contributions of Consul General in advancing the causes of Diaspora engagement, trade and investment, and cultural ties, which have significantly enhanced the relationship between British Columbia and India, and presented him an award on behalf of BC-IBN.
In his address, Manish expressed his heartfelt gratitude to BC-IBN for their pivotal role in fostering India-BC business engagement. He emphasized the paramount importance of robust economic ties between India and BC in areas of trade, technology, student exchange and tourism.
In 2022, India-BC bilateral trade amounted to USD 1.9 billion which is 19% of India-Canada bilateral trade; 25% of Indian international students study in B.C.; largest arrivals at Vancouver International Airport are from India, and for Vancouver Port, India is the fourth largest export destination. About 10% of BC’s population comprise people of Indian origin, who have robustly contributed to people-to-people ties and significantly continue to contribute to the socio-economic development of B.C., it was pointed out.
Manish engaged in productive interactions with the premiers of B.C. and Yukon, Raj Chouhan, Jagrup Brar and Raghwa Gopal, CEO of M Square Media.
This event not only celebrated the spirit of Diwali but also served as a platform for fruitful dialogues and partnerships aimed at advancing the bilateral economic and cultural relations between India and Canada.
(Photos and information: Indian Consulate General)
These photos from the BC-India Business Network:
