'The opening of a trade office in Gujarat fulfils our long-standing demand. It is a great news for Canadian companies looking for trade with India's fastest growing state,'' said Winnipeg-based Hemant Shah who lobbied with the Canadian government for the Ahmedabad office.

Canada's top companies such as Bombardier and McCain Foods have plants in Gujarat.

Though the annual trade between the two countries is still less than $4.5 billion, Canada is pulling out all the stops to take advantage of the huge Indian market. Reversing its policy last year, Canada backed India at the Nuclear Suppliers Groups (NSG) to allow it access to nuclear technology and fuel.

It followed this up in January by resuming nuclear ties with India which were frozen after New Delhi conducted its first nuclear test in 1974. The Canadian nuclear industry is eyeing business worth billion of dollars through sale of uranium and nuclear technology to India.

India and Canada are also working on a free trade agreement.

(Gurmukh Singh can be contacted at gurmukh.s@ians.in)