Mitacs reengages India to advance strategic Research and talent partnerships

February 23, 2026
|
Reading Time 9 minutes

February 23, 2026 

Mitacs Vice President, External Relations and International Affairs, David Enriquez, accompanied by Senior Advisor, International Relations, Fiona Langdon, travelled to India from February 13–20 as part of Mitacs’ formal reengagement with one of its most dynamic and longstanding international partners. Since initiating collaboration in 2009, India has remained a cornerstone of Mitacs’ global strategy. Since 2018 alone, Mitacs has supported more than 4,000 applied research projects connecting Indian and Canadian institutions, strengthening collaboration across academia, industry, and government. 

This visit marks an important milestone as Mitacs joins other Canadian stakeholders in reestablishing high-level engagement with India, reconnecting with longstanding partners while identifying new avenues to deepen bilateral collaboration. 

New Delhi served as the first stop of the mission, featuring strategic engagements with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and the High Commission of Canada to India, including representatives from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick. 

The delegation then continued to Mumbai and Bengaluru, two of India’s most influential hubs for innovation, research excellence, and entrepreneurial growth. Both regions are central to India’s global leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) talent development and in advancing deep tech, artificial intelligence, clean technology, and digital transformation. 

In Mumbai, meetings included the Consulate General of Canada in Mumbai, the Bureau du Québec à Mumbai, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, and the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies. Discussions focused on expanding collaboration in advanced research, applied innovation, and industry partnerships. 

In Bengaluru, engagements included the Consulate General of Canada in Bengaluru, provincial representatives from British Columbia and New Brunswick, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and Happiest Minds Technologies, reinforcing opportunities to connect Canadian industry and academia with India’s leading scientific institutions and high-growth technology firms. 

Mitacs also participated in AI Summit activities in Delhi as part of Team Canada. Key engagements included discussions with Evan Solomon, Canada’s Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, regarding Mitacs’ role in supporting Canada’s AI Strategy, as well as conversations with Ontario Minister Victor Fedeli and Dr. Yoshua Bengio. 

The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service in India provided invaluable support throughout the visit, with strong leadership from Christopher Cooter. 

As a key convenor within the innovation ecosystem, Mitacs bridges research and commercialization through a talent-first approach. We look forward to translating these engagements into concrete initiatives that advance talent mobility, strengthen industry–academia collaboration, and contribute to bilateral economic growth in support of Canada and India’s shared innovation priorities. 

“Our renewed high-level engagement with India reflects Mitacs’s commitment to fostering innovation through collaboration and global partnerships. Canada and India are partnering to drive innovation and accelerate research to market by advancing shared priorities: building a future-ready workforce, elevating research excellence, and strengthening entrepreneurship. Together, we’re forging new pathways for talent mobility and economic growth.” 

David Enriquez, Vice President, External Relations and International Affairs, Mitacs

About Mitacs 

For over 25 years, Mitacs has helped grow the economy and develop the workforce of tomorrow, connecting industry with academia and global partners to solve real-world challenges. We support business-academic research collaboration through internships, co-funded with businesses, for undergraduate to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. 

As a national innovation connector, Mitacs takes a talent-first approach to strengthen innovation capacity and drive global competitiveness. We serve as an essential research-commercialization bridge, accelerating market entry and growth for new products and services. 

This is a critical time for Canada to think big and take bold action. Mitacs is ready to help build a strong and resilient Canadian economy, powered by ideas, talent and innovation. 

Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon. 

  • Five people stand side by side in a meeting room with a round table, flowers, an Indian flag, and a university emblem, reflecting the formal occasion as Mitacs and Toronto Region Board of Trade partner for this professional gathering.
  • Two men in suits stand smiling next to an Indian flag on a patio at night, with a garden and building in the background, marking the partnership between Mitacs and Toronto Region Board of Trade.
  • Six people, four women and two men, stand in a brightly lit hallway with wooden paneling and large windows. They are smiling in business or semi-formal attire, celebrating the Mitacs and Toronto Region Board of Trade Partner initiative. A potted plant is visible at left.
  • Four people stand side by side in a well-lit room with large windows and elegant furnishings, representing the Mitacs and Toronto Region Board of Trade Partner collaboration. Two men are in the center, flanked by two women, all smiling in smart casual attire.
  • Four people stand side by side in front of a light blue background, with a Canadian flag on the left and an Indian flag on the right, representing the Mitacs and Toronto Region Board of Trade partnership. They are dressed in business attire and facing the camera.
  • Six people stand in a row before a large monument with a statue atop a pedestal, set outdoors with trees and a blue sky. The group, casually and formally dressed, highlights the collaboration between Mitacs and Toronto Region Board of Trade Partner.
  • Eight people are standing and smiling in front of a sign that reads happiest minds, The Mindful IT Company. They look professionally dressed in an office lobby, highlighting the spirit of collaboration seen when Mitacs and Toronto Region Board of Trade partner.
  • Six professionally dressed people stand smiling in a meeting room with three windows, two clocks, and a table, highlighting the Mitacs and Toronto Region Board of Trade Partner collaboration.
  • Four people stand indoors in front of wooden-paneled walls with framed artwork. Three in business attire and one in a blue hoodie are smiling, highlighting the Mitacs and Toronto Region Board of Trade Partner collaboration in this group photo.
  • A man with a beard, wearing a blue blazer and gray trousers, stands smiling in front of the Ministry of Science & Technology building in India, where Mitacs and Toronto Region Board of Trade Partner events are highlighted on signs in both Hindi and English.
  • Six people stand in a row inside an office, posing for a group photo. Shelves with books and framed pictures, including portraits on the wall, are visible in the background, celebrating the new Mitacs and Toronto Region Board of Trade partnership.
  • Three people stand smiling in front of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) building, marking the occasion of the Mitacs and Toronto Region Board of Trade Partner event, with an abstract sculpture and neatly trimmed bushes in the foreground.
  • Three adults stand indoors near large windows with trees outside, smiling in a casual meeting area. They represent the Mitacs and Toronto Region Board of Trade Partner collaboration, with two men flanking a woman in a black suit.
Tags:

Related news

Discover more stories about Mitacs — and the game-changing innovations driven by students and postdocs.

View all stories

Join a thriving innovation ecosystem.

Subscribe to our newsletter now!

Subscribe