India – Alberta Relations

This map is a generalized illustration only and is not intended to be used for reference purposes. The representation of political boundaries does not necessarily reflect the position of the Government of Alberta on international issues of recognition, sovereignty or jurisdiction.

PROFILE DID YOU KNOW? in underprivileged areas. Capital: New Delhi • is projected to surpass China as the • Over the past few years, India has grown as world’s most populous country by 2030. Population: 1.22 billion (2012 est.) an export destination for Alberta; however, the level of trade is still below its potential. Languages: Hindi, English, Bengali, • Its economy is the ninth-largest in the Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, world measured in nominal US dollars, COMMUNITY Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, Punjabi, but it is the third-largest when measured • Between 2008 and 2012, 19,098 Assamese and Maithili among others. at purchasing power parity exchange immigrants from India chose Alberta as India is home to over 14 official rates. languages. their destination. Approximately 62 per • Although one of the world’s poorest cent were economic immigrants. This Government: Federal Republic countries, India also has a middle class of includes principal applicants and their Head of State: President Shri Pranab 250 million people who constitute a large consumer market. dependents. Mukherjee (since July 2012) • From 2008 to 2012, 6,675 foreign Head of Government: Prime Minister • India is known as Bharat to its citizens. workers from India were issued a permit (since May 2004) • Bombay is now called Mumbai while to work in Alberta were largely occupied Currency: $1 CDN = 52.97 Indian Madras is called Chennai, and Calcutta is as computer and information systems Rupees Kolkata. professional; chefs and cooks; plumbers, (2012 average) • India is the birthplace of Hinduism, pipefitters, and gas fitters; motor vehicle GDP: $1.87 trillion USD (2012 est.) Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and is the and transit drivers; university professors adopted home for Zoroastrianism (Parsi). and assistants. GDP (PPP): $4.83 trillion USD (2012 est.) • Six of the top 12 software development • From 2008 to 2012, 2,029 foreign GDP Per Capita (PPP): centers in the world are located in India. students from India were issued a permit to study in Alberta. $3,960 USD (2012 est.) RELATIONSHIP OVERVIEW • There are over 72,000 Albertans of GDP Growth Rate: 5.2% (2012 est.) • In 1973, Calgary twinned with the Indian city of Jaipur. Indian descent in the province. The Inflation: 9.3% (2012 est.) Government of Alberta has provided Key Industries: Textiles, chemicals, • From 1998-2008, Alberta’s provided over almost $500,000 in matching grants for food processing, steel, transportation $2 million CDN for humanitarian and numerous projects in India that have developmental projects in India. These equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, focused on health, education, and food machinery, software and pharmaceuticals. funds match contributions raised by local Albertans to support projects aimed at security.

improving the living conditions for people

Input was provided from the departments of: Enterprise & Advanced Education, Agriculture & Rural Development, Culture, Education, Energy and Human Services. December 2013 bidding in March 2009. AGRICULTURE • Much of India’s oil reserves are found • In January 2009, Canada signed a in the western part of the country, at • India's Jindal Steel & Power will source coal first ever Memorandum of Gujarat and Rajasthan, with 53 per from the Ramchandi block and will produce Understanding (MOU) with India to cent onshore and 47 per cent 80,000b/d of coal to liquid (CTL) fuels. create a framework to increase offshore. • Calgary-based exploration and production agricultural trade between the two • Currently, 12 per cent of India’s companies Canoro Resources Ltd. and countries. power is generated by gas (EIA Geoglobal Resources maintain offices in • Alberta aims to expand current 2013). In 2011, India was the sixth India. trade in dried peas, canola oil, beef largest LNG importer with over five • In April 2009, Niko Resources Ltd. and its and livestock genetics. per cent of the global market. Indian partner Reliance Industries Ltd. • Liquefied natural gas (LNG) remains started production in the natural gas field TRADE AND INVESTMENT a top priority with both producers and located offshore in the eastern state of • Between 2008 and 2012, Alberta’s importers keen to invest in the Andhra Pradesh. exports to India averaged $102.32 sector. Shale gas exploration will also million CDN per year. Primary continue to develop in 2013. EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES exports included dried peas, plastics • Gas company GAIL accounts for over • India’s economy has consistently ranked and machinery. 50 per cent of the natural gas sold in among the world’s top fifteen in terms of • During the same time period, India and 75 per cent pipeline GDP growth rate during the past decade, Alberta's direct imports from India transmitted natural gas in the providing many areas of potential averaged $166.6 million CDN per country. cooperation. year. Major imports included iron • Coal remains India’s primary energy • Ongoing reforms to deregulate and privatize and steel products, machinery and source, ahead of petroleum and the economy are rapidly integrating India organic chemicals. Please note, this biomass, as the country has the fifth into the world trading system. This could does not include goods sold in largest coal reserves in the world. lead to increased opportunities for business Alberta that arrived via distribution The country is also the third biggest between India and Alberta. hubs in other provinces. global coal producer (2013). • Alberta companies have over four decades of ENERGY • Natural gas serves as a substitute for experience in the Indian oil and gas sector. coal for electricity generation. • At the end of 2012, India’s proven • As India attempts to limit its heavy energy reserves included 56.5 • India’s growing demand for energy dependence on oil imports, it will expand billion tonnes of coal, 5.5 billion provides ongoing opportunities for domestic exploration and the production of barrels (bbl) of oil and 43.8 trillion Alberta’s companies in the areas of oil and gas, opening up the market to cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas. natural gas exploration and foreign investment development, oil production, pipeline • Limited, India’s • A key aspect of Alberta’s hydrocarbon vision technology and construction, and largest National Refining Company, for 2020 is to upgrade oil sands resource in coalbed methane. entered into an Expression of Intent to Alberta to manufacture goods such as Collaborate (EIC) with the Alberta • The Indian government introduced a refined petroleum products and Petroleum Marketing Corporation at the New Exploration Licensing Policy petrochemicals. Several Indian companies end of October 2013. (NELP) in 1998 to encourage foreign have considerable expertise in the • While India’s oil production capacity involvement in oil and gas petrochemical and refinery industry. remains relatively stable, the exploration. The program has had Opportunities exist for Indian investment in country’s demand continues to grow limited success with the majority of this area as well as in research, value-added and in 2011 India was the fourth interest from domestic companies processing, education and training. largest global oil consumer at 3426 rather than foreign investors. India thousand barrels per day bbl/. launched a new round of license

• Areas of opportunity for Alberta companies

include: oil and gas equipment and services; power equipment and engineering services; medical devices; telecommunications and information technology products; environmental technologies and management; industrial machinery and equipment; infrastructure development; building products and prefabricated home supplies; agricultural technology transfer and consulting services; and tourism.

EDUCATION • MacEwan University School of Business has partnered with Prin. N.L. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research since 2008. Welingkar hosts MacEwan University study tours to India and MacEwan University hosts Welingkar's study tours to Canada. • November 2010: The Government of Alberta entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Punjab, India, focusing on the areas of education and agriculture. The Memorandum was signed by Premier Ed Stelmach and the Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal. • The University of Alberta is a core member of IC-IMPACTS, the Canada-India Research Centre of Excellence, which was awarded $13.8 million of federal government funding in 2012. IC- IMPACTS brings together a large international team to find solutions to key environmental, health, and infrastructure challenges that affect the quality of life of millions of Indians and Canadians

RECENT VISITS • November 2010: The Honourable Ed Stelmach, Premier of Alberta, met with business and government leaders in the cities of New Delhi and Amritsar and attended the Petrotech 2010 Conference, Asia’s largest biennial Oil & Gas industry event. • June 2010: The Honourable Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Republic of India visited Calgary to attend the 2010 Global Petroleum Show.

DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION • His Excellency Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma is the Indian High Commissioner in Ottawa. • Mr. Stewart G. Beck is the Canadian High Commissioner to the Republic of India, based in New Delhi. • There are Canadian Consulate General offices in Chandigarh and Mumbai, a Canadian Consulate office in Chennai and Kolkata and a Canadian Government Trade Office in Bangalore.

For more information, contact: Alberta International and Intergovernmental Relations Phone: 780-427-6543 Fax: 780-427-0699 albertacanada.com international.alberta.ca