3 min readNew DelhiMar 3, 2026 09:52 AM IST
First published on: Mar 2, 2026 at 01:30 PM IST
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday, while on his four-day visit to India, said Canadian universities are expanding their engagement with Indian institutions through a series of new talent partnerships. In a post on micro blogging site ‘X’, he said 13 new agreements have been concluded, covering collaboration in research and the creation of artificial intelligence (AI) centres of excellence. According to Carney, the partnerships are intended to offer students international academic exposure and deepen institutional cooperation between the two countries.
Among the announcements during the visit was by McGill University, which confirmed plans to establish a new centre of excellence in AI education and research in India. The announcement was made during an academic mission led by Universities Canada and attended by Carney and Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand.
Canadian PM Carney at Delhi event on Sunday (Image via x/MarkJCarney)
McGill said the centre is scheduled to be launched in May 2027 and will admit its first batch of students in the fall of that year. The initial cohort is expected to comprise 50 students, with capacity projected to increase to around 200 students over time. The centre will offer a master’s programme designed to combine academic coursework with applied learning and industry-linked projects in the AI sector.
The university stated that its Faculty of Engineering will be responsible for designing the curriculum, setting academic standards and overseeing quality assurance and research priorities. The Indian partner institution will manage local stakeholder engagement and operational coordination. University officials said the initiative aligns with McGill’s broader efforts to expand its international academic footprint while maintaining oversight of academic quality.
According to the announcement, the centre is being developed in collaboration with the Jubilant Bhartia Group, which will provide land, infrastructure and operational support for the centre, and facilitate connections with companies in India’s technology and AI sectors.
Carney, who arrived in New Delhi on Sunday evening after concluding engagements in Mumbai, is on an official visit to India from February 27 to March 2 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was received at the airport by Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and IT Jitin Prasada.
Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Canadian counterpart Anand ahead of the scheduled delegation-level talks between the two Prime Ministers. Formal discussions are set to take place on March 2 at Hyderabad House, where the leaders are expected to review progress under the India-Canada Strategic Partnership.
According to a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the talks will cover trade and investment, energy cooperation, critical minerals, agriculture, education and research collaboration, as well as people-to-people ties. The two sides are also expected to exchange views on regional and global developments.
Carney’s visit follows earlier meetings between the two leaders in Kananaskis in June 2025 and Johannesburg in November 2025. In addition to official talks, Modi and Carney are scheduled to participate in the India-Canada CEOs forum.
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand (L) with Prime Minister Mark Carney (R) at an evet in New Delhi (Image via X/MarkJCarney) 
Canadian PM Carney at Delhi event on Sunday (Image via x/MarkJCarney)
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