Indian nationals wishing to study in Canada can now benefit from millions of dollars in scholarship rewards, facilitated study pathways, and even hybrid campuses, with the signing of a new talent strategy between the two nations.
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On the morning of March 2, 2026, the office of Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a statement regarding new measures agreed to, which include:
- 100 million dollars in funding from the University of Toronto, providing up to 200 fully funded scholarships for Indian students in Canada.
- 13 new partnerships between Indian and Canadian universities to facilitate greater study and exchange opportunities.
- The launching of three new hybrid study locations in India:
- An innovation campus as part of a collaboration between Dalhousie University and the Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati, and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Tirupati; and
- The University of Toronto Center of Excellence and McGill University Center of Excellence, both of which will direct Indian and Canadian talent around the research and development of Artificial Intelligence.
- A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between India and Canada to facilitate opportunities for collaboration and exchanges among institutions in both countries in the performing arts, visual arts, music, books, entertainment technologies, and other creative industries.
13 new partnerships between Indian and Canadian universities
As part of the new talent strategy, 13 new MOUs have been signed between various Canadian and Indian universities, affirming their commitment to enabling student and faculty exchanges, research opportunities, and more.
Collaborations are still in early stages between Canadian and Indian institutions; however, broad strokes have been outlined and vary between MOUs:
| Canadian university | Indian university | Details of MOU |
|---|---|---|
| University of British Columbia | O.P. Jindal Global University | The agreement will: • Facilitate student and faculty exchanges • Support research collaboration between the two institutions |
| Simon Fraser University | O.P. Jindal Global University | The agreement will: • Explore faculty and student mobility opportunities • Develop joint academic programming • Advance research collaboration, including through potential transnational education opportunities and broader academic exchange initiatives |
| University of the Fraser Valley | Panjab University | The agreement will: • Enable faculty and student mobility and exchanges • Support joint academic programming • Expand research exchanges/collaboration • Use a cohort-based model for student mobility |
| Algoma University | Parul University | The agreement will: • Enable research collaboration • Promote student and faculty exchanges • Offer short courses / summer courses • Create multiple pathway agreements for eligible Parul School of Computer Science and Engineering students to transition into designated Algoma University programs |
| Algoma University | Chandigarh University | The agreement will: • Broaden and deepen an existing partnership • Enable research collaboration • Promote student and faculty exchanges • Offer short courses / summer courses • Support multiple pathway agreements for eligible Chandigarh students from psychology, computer applications, and management departments to transition directly into designated Algoma University programs |
| Dalhousie University | SRM Institute of Science and Technology | The agreement will: • Support a Nursing Dual Degree Program that includes: • 25 Indian Nursing Council-approved supernumerary seats • Dual credentials (credentials from both institutions/program structures) • Embedded clinical experience in Canada • Explore a potential pathway to nursing practice in Nova Scotia |
| Dalhousie University | Indian Council of Agricultural Research | The agreement will support: • Collaboration in digital agriculture • Collaboration in climate-resilient agriculture • Collaboration in horticulture • Collaboration in aquaculture • Collaboration in animal husbandry • A focus on joint research in the above priority areas • Support broader academic cooperation connected to these themes |
| University of Guelph | O.P. Jindal Global University | The agreement will: • Facilitate student and faculty mobility for training and research |
| Brock University | O.P. Jindal Global University | The agreement will: • Support faculty collaborations • Enable short three-year exchanges (through time-bounded exchange model) with a focus on areas such as: • Public health • Sports management • Business |
| Royal Roads University | O.P. Jindal Global University | The agreement will: • Support faculty and student exchange |
| Simon Fraser University | Hydrogen Association of India | The agreement will: • Facilitate collaboration with Indian academic and research institutes to: • Advance joint hydrogen research • Support innovation in hydrogen and related systems • Support technology development • Contribute to clean-energy solutions • Strengthen Canada–India academic partnerships in clean energy |
| University of Toronto | Indian Institute of Science | The agreement will: • Support AI-focused collaboration in research and education • Deliver joint initiatives under the agreement • Involve the Temerty Centre for AI Research and Education in Medicine • Engage additional University of Toronto AI researchers to take part in joint initiatives |
| University of Toronto | Jio Institute | The agreement will support: • Collaboration in AI programs • Collaboration in management programs • Student and faculty exchanges and collaboration |
A trend of deepening education ties
The MOUs listed above were concluded in the wake of the February 2026 visit by more than 20 Canadian university presidents to India—Canada’s largest-ever academic delegation to the country.
Taken together, the breadth and pace of these MOUs point to deepening Canada–India education ties, signaling a shift from ad hoc collaboration toward more structured, long-term academic cooperation between universities and research partners in both countries.
India remains one of the leading source countries for both international students and new permanent residents in Canada, adding to an estimated 1.8 million+ Indian-origin Canadian citizenry.
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