Visit of Shri Bharat Khera, Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, to Toronto (24-25 September 2026)
An Indian delegation led by Shri Bharat Khera, Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, visited Toronto on 24-25 September 2026. The delegation held a series of meetings in the Greater Toronto Area aimed at exchange of best practices and technical know-how in the domain of Online Dispute Resolution and strengthening cooperation in the MSME sector between India and Canada. Consul General of India in Toronto, Mr Mahaveer Singhvi accompanied the delegation in various meetings.
The delegation met Mr. Michael Schafler, President, ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC), and his team. The discussions focused on sharing best practices in alternative dispute resolution, strengthening legal pathways and grievance redressal mechanisms, and exploring ways to ensure faster and more effective resolution of commercial disputes. Both sides underlined that robust, accessible and efficient dispute-resolution frameworks are central to improving the ease of doing business, enhancing investor confidence, and supporting the growth and internationalisation of MSMEs.
The delegation also called on Hon. Nina Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business, Government of Ontario. The meeting explored avenues for deeper India-Ontario cooperation in the small business space, including policy support frameworks, market access and institutional mechanisms. Both sides agreed that a conducive regulatory environment and strong government-to-government engagement are key to unlocking cross-border opportunities for MSMEs and small businesses in India and Ontario.
At the Legal Innovation Zone, Toronto Metropolitan University, the delegation met Dr. Sasha Saunders, Director, and her team. Discussions centred on how legal technology and startup-driven solutions are reshaping access to justice, from digital dispute resolution tools to simplified legal services for small enterprises. It was noted that such innovations hold strong potential to reduce costs and delays for MSMEs, making legal support more affordable, effective and accessible.
The delegation further visited the IDEA Innovation Unit of the City of Mississauga, where discussions focused on the use of innovation, data and collaborative approaches to support local entrepreneurs. Both sides exchanged best practices on city-led innovation and entrepreneur support programmes, and explored opportunities for cooperation in knowledge-sharing, capacity building and institutional partnerships to strengthen small business ecosystems.
The engagements form part of the Ministry’s continued efforts to learn from global best practices, strengthen institutional linkages, and create an enabling environment for Indian MSMEs to grow, access new markets and integrate with global value chains.
