MUMBAI – During his six-day visit to India, British Columbia Premier David Eby has engaged in extensive discussions with Indian companies about potential collaboration in the province's mining and energy sectors. Eby, speaking via video from Mumbai, emphasized that the Indian firms he has been meeting with are seeking assistance from the government in “matchmaking” with mining enterprises.
Energy has emerged as a key area of interest, following mining, in the discussions. Eby noted the “urgency around energy” in India, citing the consensus among companies and politicians that the country’s economic growth is projected to continue at an annual rate of seven to eight percent. This anticipated growth creates significant demand for energy, prompting stakeholders to seek dramatic increases in energy supply.
The Premier highlighted India's strong interest in accessing British Columbia's natural gas resources, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects that are nearing final investment decisions. He stated that India is actively working to reduce its dependency on imported petroleum products such as oil and gas, noting that there is a substantial internal push towards this goal.
According to Eby, Indian officials view LNG as a crucial component of their strategy to cut carbon emissions and address air pollution issues. He specifically mentioned ongoing projects of interest to Indian firms, including the expansion of the Kitimat LNG facility and the proposed Ksi Lisims LNG facility, both located in northern British Columbia.
The B.C. delegation, which includes Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon, is visiting significant cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, and Bangalore. Prior to the trip, the province announced that exports of goods from British Columbia to India were valued at $1.3 billion in 2024. Kahlon pointed out that British Columbia holds the highest share of exports to India of any Canadian province.
In a separate matter, Premier Eby addressed concerns surrounding a report that referenced an RCMP document, which Global News suggested described the Lawrence Bishnoi crime group based in India as “allegedly acting on behalf of the Indian government.” Eby downplayed these reports, stating he had reviewed the document and clarified that the paragraph in question was a “summary of publicly available news reports” rather than an official RCMP intelligence report.
While the details of the document remain unseen by The Canadian Press, Eby’s comments reflect an attempt to separate the allegations from the ongoing trade negotiations and discussions with Indian enterprises during his visit.
