By Mata Press Service

Victor T. Thomas is the new President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canada-India Business Council (C-IBC), a leading organization promoting trade, investment and business development between Canada and India.

He will succeed Kasi Rao, who will be pursuing an opportunity in the private sector.

Thomas, a recognized executive and business leader, is currently Vice President, Prairie Region, of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, and has consulted in the areas of trade, corporate governance, and international strategy.

He has travelled to India numerous times for business and has been an active participant in many C-IBC forums and events. He also currently serves as Chair of Saskatchewan's Innovation Place, Vice-Chair of CARE Canada, as an Advisory Board member of Canada's Future Skills Centre, and member of the Rideau Hall Foundation Board.

"We are delighted to welcome Victor, with his wealth of experience and expertise, along with his well-demonstrated leadership skills. Our mission to advance all aspects of Canada-India business relations will be in good hands with him," said Patricia Koval, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Canada-India Business Council

"It is a privilege to play a role in enhancing trade and investment ties between Canada and India. We are living in an era where global trade patterns are changing rapidly — we have the opportunity to significantly deepen our relationships with India, especially as it moves up among the top global economies," said Thomas.

"Our two countries have a lot to offer each other in a variety of sectors. Canada is a trading nation, and I believe there is significant room to grow even closer and expand our trade and investment relationships," Mr. Thomas said.

Meanwhile, the trade between India and Canada rose to 62 per cent in the past five years, making India one of the fastest-growing export markets of Canada, said Andrew Smith from the High Commission of Canada in India.

"We have a very good relationship in the trade and investment space for the last couple of years. It is important in the bilateral trade relationship. This year, we are on a trajectory to go up by another billion dollars in two-way trade. It is because Canada has invested in India with the Trade Commissioner Service," the diplomat told ANI about the trade and investment relations between the two countries.

Smith also said that his country is currently playing an important role to create jobs for the Indians under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship mission 'Make in India.'

"The Canadian companies who are coming here to India are also investing in India. We have over 2000 Canadian companies doing trade with India now. They are generating jobs for Indian employers. Some of them include Bombardier Transportation and McCain French fries in Gujarat and other software companies in Bengaluru," Smith added.

"Education is one of our fastest-growing sectors. Aviation and coal are the other largest sectors," he stated.

However, Canada is facing a bureaucracy problem in India, Smith said.

"The usual problems that we face here is the last mile connection, including the bureaucracy, permits and getting paperwork done. What we are trying to do is go beyond those eight offices of the trade commissioner service in the country," Smith said.