India has become a global powerhouse, and there are profits to be made for those who would help it face the challenges that attend its new status. As its economy roars ahead, its need for stable, abundant power sources and green technologies intensifies. Alberta, with all that it can offer as an energy producer, democracy, and innovator in the field of sustainable development, is a likely candidate to help satisfy this need. A partnership between the two regions will likely develop, but its success will hinge largely on easy people-to-people exchanges. There is ample room to foster such an arrangement, and in a 21st-century economy, the free flow of people between nations portends a competitive advantage in much the same way as the free flow of goods, services, and investment capital. The casual movement of qualified professionals between India and Alberta will enable these two jurisdictions to benefit from each other's skills, knowledge, and abilities.

The federal government has ultimate control over immigration policy, but Alberta, as a likely partner in India’s effort to secure a clean and abundant energy source, makes a strong case for the loosening of migratory restrictions. If accomplished, Indians would be drawn to the Alberta work force, thus correcting the skill shortage there, and Alberta's professionals could live and work in India, propelling that country’s project further and making the most of the opportunities available there.

Under Alberta's existing provincial nominee program (PNP), the province can bring over qualified professionals to meet defined needs in the Alberta economy. But applications from India are often seriously delayed, as the qualifications of potential migrants must first be verified. This problem could be fixed if Alberta were willing to invest more money and expertise into the screening process. There is also room for Alberta's educational institutions to take a stronger role in delivering their educational services and knowledge to India itself. The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, for instance, is establishing equivalencies to Red Seal (the government program designed to facilitate the movement of skilled workers throughout Canada) in conjunction with Indian educational institutions. Training a generation of Indians to meet Alberta’s high technological standards would benefit both sides.

It should be noted that migration isn't a one-way ticket. Many who leave India to seek opportunities elsewhere retain their links with their country of origin, often returning to invest. Still more remit money to family while investing in business opportunities in their adopted countries. The benefits of migration really are a two-way street.

The economic meltdown in the United States, and the colossal scale of public debt that that country is amassing in order to right the ship of state and bring its economy back to an even keel, make it all but certain that the U.S. will not be the dominant global economic power in decades to come. In this emerging reality, Alberta must expand its relationships and its partnerships beyond Fortress North America. This policy goal has been clear for some time; what we have lacked in the past is a sharply focused strategy to help us take advantage of emerging opportunities in the rapidly changing world.

India's political stability, the result of Prime Minister Singh's newly elected majority government, gives India a much more robust platform for its economic growth. This growth may constitute the most significant opportunity Alberta will have in the coming years to expand its opportunities beyond the limits of the North American economy. Some private-sector companies have already stepped in and shown enterprise, yet we need a united front. We need a seamless convergence of government, economy, cultural, and people-to-people connections in order to fully engage the Indian opportunity and to build a mutually beneficial partnership between Alberta and India. It is time to leverage our old relationships and our emerging and developing expertise to meet India's needs as it becomes a global leader in the 21st century.