The Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) marked a strong and purposeful beginning to 2026 by hosting a high-level reception welcoming the Dinesh Patnaik, High Commissioner of India to Canada. The reception, held as ICCC’s first signature event of the year, brought together diplomats, senior government representatives, business leaders, and members of the Indo-Canadian business community to reaffirm shared priorities and advance business-led collaboration between Canada and India.
The evening underscored ICCC’s growing role as a critical bridge between business, policy, and diplomacy, at a time when strengthening Canada–India economic ties is both timely and strategic. Conversations throughout the reception focused on trade, investment, innovation, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges—key drivers of long-term bilateral cooperation.
Addressing the gathering, ICCC President Prashant Srivastava highlighted India’s strong growth trajectory and long-term development roadmap.
“India’s rapid growth and the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 present strong opportunities for Canadian businesses. ICCC remains committed to turning engagement into action,” he said, emphasizing the Chamber’s mission to convert dialogue into real business outcomes.
High Commissioner H.E. Mr. Dinesh Patnaik shared perspectives on India’s economic reforms, expanding global partnerships, and the importance of institutional platforms like ICCC in enabling meaningful private-sector engagement. His remarks reinforced the value of sustained collaboration in deepening trade, investment, and innovation linkages between the two countries.
Adding an industry and entrepreneurship perspective, Deepak Shamnani, Director of ICCC and CEO of Onkar Travels, emphasized the practical importance of such engagements for businesses operating across borders.
“Events like these are essential because they bring decision-makers and entrepreneurs to the same table. For businesses, especially those involved in trade, travel, and tourism, strong diplomatic and economic ties translate directly into confidence, connectivity, and growth. ICCC plays a vital role in creating that trusted ecosystem between Canada and India,” Mr. Shamnani said.
The reception also reflected robust diplomatic participation, with representation from the High Commission of India, Ottawa, the Consulate General of India in Toronto, and stakeholders linked with Canada in India, Nepal & Bhutan.
Distinguished attendees included Kapidhwaja Pratap Singh, The Honourable Asha Seth, Abhishek Ranjan, along with ICCC leaders and members such as Dr. Indira Khurana, Vikas Gupta, Alok Nagpal, Vinay Thapliyal, Sandeep Mamgain, Deepak Malik, Ajay Tandon, Mukesh Narula, Nandini Roy, Kam Rathee, Murarilal Thapliyal, David Agnew, Manish Mishra, Himadar Maddipatla, Marvin Hough, Niloy Nath, and others who continue to actively support Indo-Canadian economic engagement.
The event set a positive and collaborative tone for 2026, reinforcing ICCC’s commitment to fostering meaningful partnerships, supporting policy dialogue, and enabling business-led initiatives that strengthen the economic relationship between Canada and India.