Manitoba to open India trade office

Instead of being stationed on Broadway, a Manitoba government employee will set up their own office — in India.

The New Democrats will today announce their plans to open a trade office in the South Asia country.

“We’re going to be continuing to expand our global presence,” said Business Minister Jamie Moses.

Government has slated $150,000 for the trade office, including the representative’s salary. A request for proposal will be posted online Tuesday, Moses said.

The successful candidate will have experience with the region and can connect Manitobans with Indian customers.

Moses said he’s looking for, ultimately, more exports to India. Manitoba imported $207.8 million worth of goods from India in 2024. An export amount wasn’t easily accessible by print deadline.

The federal government has made a goal of doubling two-way trade with India, to $70 billion per year, by 2030.

“(With) the Indian market being one of the fastest growing economies in the world, we know there’s a lot of potential,” Moses said. “There’s a lot of room to grow for us, in terms of our exports.”

Moses highlighted Manitoba’s agriculture, life sciences and manufacturing markets, adding trade isn’t limited to a specific sector.

Exports could be aided by the build-up of the Port of Churchill, Moses said.

The trade representative search will likely end by early summer. It’s a year-long deal that could be renewed.

It comes as Manitoba lags behind other provinces in international investment. In 2025, Manitoba secured six announcements of global investment projects. Saskatchewan, by contrast, inked 13, Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism shared at an event last week.

Other provinces have dotted the globe with trade offices. Manitoba has just one: a Washington, D.C. outpost created last year.

The Manitoba government has come under fire for the U.S. trade representative’s compensation, which exceeds $479,000 a year. Critics, including the Opposition Progressive Conservatives, have questioned where the trade deals are and whether Manitobans are getting value for their taxpayer dollars.

Trade offices are “something that is needed;” they’re what businesses have been asking for, said Chuck Davidson, president of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce.

An Indian ambassador — High Commissioner Dinesh K. Patnaik — visited Manitoba last week. He met with Premier Wab Kinew and the Premier’s Business and Jobs Council, which Davidson is part of. Patnaik made a “strong case” for greater agriculture and mineral trade, Davidson said.

“There’s a number of things that make sense, from a relationship between India and Canada, that I think can be built upon,” Davidson said. “This is a good first step.”

He’s met with at least six different consulates or ambassadors over the past two months who are interested in expanding trade with Manitoba, Davidson said, listing Denmark, Morocco, Germany and the United Kingdom.

The Europeans have their eyes on the Port of Churchill, he added.

“I would hope that this is the first of a number of offices that we could see,” Davidson said of the India station.

Moses said the province has “an eye to other regions of the world.”

Manitoba businesses have been hit by tariffs from the United States and China over the past year. Private-sector leads and entrepreneurs have preached the need to diversify trade partnerships amid uncertainty.

Manitoba’s exports to non-U.S. markets has been steadily increasing since 2019, Manitoba Bureau of Statistics data show. Last year, the province shipped $6.6 billion worth of goods internationally, excluding the United States. It’s up from $6.2 billion in 2024.

China levied tariffs against Canada’s agriculture industry, including canola, last year. Reduced fees on canola seed remain, but tariffs on canola meal have been removed.

More canola could be shipped to India, Moses said. A location within India hasn’t yet been chosen.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com