87,812 Indians Got Canadian Citizenship In 2024, Most From Any Nation
Canada's Citizenship Week, which kicked off on May 26 and runs until June 1, is a vibrant celebration of the country's rich diversity and the shared values that define Canadian citizenship.
At the heart of this celebration is the recognition of the incredible contributions immigrants make to Canada's growth and prosperity. According to Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab, "Each year, Citizenship Week offers our country an occasion to reflect on the meaning of citizenship." She beautifully encapsulates Canada's identity as "a mosaic that includes Canadians of all backgrounds and cultures," emphasising the importance of Indigenous Peoples' histories and the commitment to reconciliation.
The statistics underscore the significant role immigration plays in shaping Canada's identity. In 2024, a substantial 3.74 lakh individuals were granted Canadian citizenship, with Indian nationals making up 23% of this number, totaling 87,812 individuals, per a report in the Times of India. This represents a notable increase from 2023, when 78,714 Indians gained citizenship. Minister Diab praises the courage of those seeking better opportunities and security for their families, saying, "It takes incredible courage to face the challenges and uncertainty of a new place."
As Canadians celebrate this diversity, the government has outlined its immigration plan for the next few years. The targets indicate a slight decrease in permanent resident admissions, with 3.95 lakh planned for 2025, 3.80 lakh for 2026, and 3.65 lakh for 2027.
Despite this reduction, the government aims to prioritise those already in Canada, with over 40% of permanent resident admissions in 2025 expected to be from temporary residents. Minister Diab encourages Canadians to attend public citizenship ceremonies, highlighting the importance of recognising the value immigration brings to Canada. "As Canadians, it is our responsibility to continue to highlight the value that immigration brings to Canada, and to protect the inherent rights and dignity of those who seek to call it home," she emphasises.
The Citizenship Week celebrations serve as a poignant reminder of Canada's commitment to its diverse population and the values that define its citizenship. As Minister Diab so eloquently puts it, "We also take this moment to recognise that our diversity is our strength and to collectively recommit to building a better future for all who live here."
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Hans India
18 minutes ago
- Hans India
Kashmir's rail revolution is a tribute to govt resolve and grit
On a clear June day, draped in marigold flowers and national pride, the Vande Bharat Express began its maiden journey from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Srinagar. Flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the moment marked more than just the launch of a high-speed train. It was the culmination of a century-old dream—one forged in steel, vision, and unyielding resolve. The rail unification of Kashmir with the rest of India is that resolve. A train to Kashmir with an ultra-modern travel experience runs on the solid foundation of our engineers. Cutting the travel time short, Vande Bharat trains run twice a day, six times a week from both sides. They are not only bringing in the much-needed push for the local economic development in the valley but are emerging as a boon for tourists from all over. For decades, Kashmir's story has been told through the lens of conflict and remoteness. It's heartening to see it being rewritten in the language of infrastructure – bridges, tunnels, and rail lines threading their way through the mountains. Coming on the eve of the 11 years of Modi's governance at the Centre, the special trains and the connecting link are all set to change the destiny of locals in Kashmir. In its 172-year history of service to the nation, Indian Railways has crossed many important milestones. Generations of dedicated railway men and women have toiled to make connectivity and carriage an everyday reality. But to paraphrase a line from an iconic Indian advertisement: Indian Railways doesn't just build tracks—it also knits the fabric of national unity! From isolation to integration Historically, Kashmir's isolation was more than metaphorical—it was geographic and punishingly real. Tucked high in the Himalayas and routinely cut off by snow for days together, the region remained distant not just in reach but even experience. 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But it can open doors—both literally and symbolically. And it can lay the groundwork for integration that is economic, social, and, ultimately, emotional. What began as a dream on drawing boards in colonial offices has become a reality on steel rails blending with Himalayan rock. The rail line to Kashmir is the story of a country that refused to be daunted by terrain, terror, or time. From mountain shadows to sunlit stations, a new journey has begun! (The writer is former CEO and Chairman Railway Board)
Hans India
18 minutes ago
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MyVoice: Views of our readers 11th June 2025
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Time of India
21 minutes ago
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Mahadevan is among the hundreds of thousands of Indian shrimp farmers bracing for the impact of Trump's trade wars and is worried the 26% tariff could make his product too expensive in the U.S. market, the top destination for Indian shrimp. Live Events "If I shut down my farm, the idle ponds and machinery will be ruined, and restarting will become more difficult," said Mahadevan in the town of Karhiripulum in Tamil Nadu state. "But (I have) no other option, I cannot afford to sell my shrimp any cheaper." Indian negotiators won a 90-day pause in the tariff increase, keeping the tariff on exports at 10% until July, while pushing for a broader trade deal with the United States by the end of the year. But for the hundreds of thousands of farmers raising vannamei shrimp - a fast-growing species farmed in small saline ponds along the country's coastal districts - any increase in the cost of sending their product to the United States could put them out of business. 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But the industry has been struggling. After peaking in 2021, shrimp exports have declined amid a glut in the world's supply, falling prices and repeated disease outbreaks, according to a report from the Global Shrimp Forum. Indian shrimp farmers have also been grappling with the 7% duty the United States imposed on the sector in 2024 for countervailing and anti-dumping purposes, according to Siddharth Chakravarty, an expert on the fishing sector. With the 7% anti-dumping and countervailing duty, as well as the 10% tariff, India's shrimp exports to the United States already face a 17% duty that could climb as high as 37% if Trump goes ahead with the higher tariff, said a trade analyst who asked not to be named. "(India's shrimp) sector is already reeling from a global oversupply of shrimp, on one hand, and demand stagnation on the other," said Chakravarty. "Now, a higher tariff could push it over the edge." Mahadevan said he earns about a fifth less on a kilo of shrimp than he did three years ago, "whereas all costs - feed, labour, electricity, diesel - have increased too much." "If shrimp prices go down further, my family will suffer surely," said Mahadevan, who has already had to delay his daughter's wedding and a house renovation. The concern is that a steep U.S. tariff could wipe out profits entirely in a fragile industry, said Chakravarty. Shrimp farmers heavily rely on loans to cover their input costs - such as feed, electricity, diesel and land leasing - while output is sensitive to weather, seed quality and disease outbreaks. "With margins near zero, even small changes can be catastrophic. Even a 1% additional tariff is salt in the already raw wound," said V. Balasubramaniam, general secretary of the Prawn Farmers Federation of India. Farmers are now calling on the government for help, demanding interventions to reduce input costs and access to better markets and prices for their shrimps. There appears to be some relief on the way. The administration in Andhra Pradesh, India's top shrimp-producing state, has been subsidising power to shrimp farms since April and is urging the national government to sign a trade pact with the European Union to reduce the sector's reliance on the U.S. market, according to local media. Balasubramaniam said feed manufacturers started offering small discounts to farmers in April after meeting with local officials in Andhra Pradesh but that these were merely "symbolic" given the discounts were much smaller than the fall in shrimp prices. Meanwhile, exporters are rushing to sell about 40,000 tonnes of shrimp from last year's harvest that are in cold storage before the new tariff takes effect, according to a separate local media report. Looking for new markets Chakravarty said the over-dependence on the United States has helped create the crisis shrimp farmers now face. "One market for one product yielded benefits for India's shrimp sector in the beginning. But that boom has ended," he said. Expanding sales of shrimp at home would also help, said Balasubramaniam. That would require the government to invest in a national distribution network, including cold-chain logistics such as refrigerated transportation, he said. "We have been reaching out to the national government to establish a strong domestic market, but so far it has been a piecemeal approach," Balasubramaniam said. India's commerce ministry did not immediately respond to the Thomson Reuters Foundation's request for a comment.
