Canada Launches $25 Million Scholarship Initiative for Indian Students as Education Ties With India Expand

Canada has announced a major new initiative aimed at strengthening educational cooperation with India, including up to $25 million in scholarships for Indian students and several new academic partnerships between universities in both countries. The measures were confirmed in a statement released by the office of Prime Minister Mark Carney on March 2, outlining a new talent strategy designed to boost research collaboration, student mobility, and innovation.

Under the plan, the University of Toronto will allocate up to $25 million to provide scholarships for more than 220 Indian students who wish to pursue studies in Canada. In addition to these scholarships, the university will also introduce approximately 300 funded research positions for Indian students as part of broader academic collaboration and faculty exchange programs.

The strategy also includes the creation of new hybrid academic initiatives in India. One of these projects will establish an innovation campus through a collaboration between Dalhousie University, the Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati, and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Tirupati. In addition, the University of Toronto and McGill University will each launch Centres of Excellence in India focused on artificial intelligence research and development, bringing together Canadian and Indian experts in emerging technologies.

Another key component of the initiative is a Memorandum of Understanding between Canada and India aimed at expanding collaboration in the creative industries. The agreement will support exchanges and partnerships across sectors including performing arts, visual arts, music, publishing, entertainment technologies, and other cultural industries.

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The announcement also confirmed the signing of 13 new academic partnerships between Canadian and Indian institutions. These agreements are intended to expand opportunities for student and faculty exchanges, joint research programs, and new academic pathways for students studying in both countries.

Among the institutions involved are the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, which both signed agreements with O.P. Jindal Global University in India to facilitate research collaboration and academic exchanges. The University of the Fraser Valley signed a partnership with Panjab University to expand faculty mobility and joint programming, while Algoma University announced agreements with Parul University and Chandigarh University to strengthen research ties and create pathways for Indian students to transition into Canadian degree programs.

Dalhousie University also signed agreements with the SRM Institute of Science and Technology and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. These partnerships include plans for a nursing dual degree program that will allow Indian students to receive credentials from both institutions and gain clinical experience in Canada, as well as collaborative research initiatives focused on agriculture, climate resilience, aquaculture, and animal husbandry.

Additional agreements involve institutions such as the University of Guelph, Brock University, and Royal Roads University, all of which signed collaboration deals with O.P. Jindal Global University. Meanwhile, Simon Fraser University partnered with the Hydrogen Association of India to advance research and innovation in hydrogen energy technologies and clean energy systems.

The University of Toronto also signed two major agreements focused on artificial intelligence and management studies, partnering with the Indian Institute of Science and the Jio Institute to develop collaborative programs and joint research initiatives.

These partnerships follow a historic visit to India in February 2026 by more than 20 Canadian university presidents, representing the largest academic delegation Canada has ever sent to the country. Officials say the growing number of agreements reflects a shift toward deeper and more structured collaboration between the two countries’ universities and research institutions.

India continues to be one of Canada’s largest sources of international students and new immigrants. The Indian-origin community in Canada now exceeds 1.8 million people, and policymakers say stronger education partnerships will help further expand opportunities for students, researchers, and professionals in both countries.