Vancouver International Airport and Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru announce sister airport agreement

Musqueam Territory/Richmond, B.C., Canada; Bengaluru, India – (October 16, 2026) – Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR) in Southern India, along with the Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Canada’s Minister of International Trade, are pleased to announce the signing of a sister airport agreement aimed at building further operational, technological, economic, and air service connections between Western Canada and Southern India.

The memorandum of understanding between the two airports is focused on seven different areas of collaboration, including innovation to further support efficient airport operations through the use of technology. This includes work around YVR’s Digital Twin as well as emerging tools and potential innovation pilot projects that could be jointly developed or trialled between the YVR and BLR teams. The agreement also lays out efforts to further the transit of air cargo between Canada and Southern India, particularly when it comes to supporting growing industries such as the tech sector in the two regions, as well as an ultimate goal of developing direct air service between YVR and BLR.

The agreement was celebrated at an event in Terminal 2 of BLR Airport and attended by senior representatives from both airports as well as the Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Canada’s Minister of International Trade.

“This agreement highlights the growing importance of the Canada–India corridor and the need for stronger collaboration across the aviation ecosystem to support passengers, cargo, and trade. The partnership between YVR and Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru is a practical example of that approach in action,” said Albert van Veen, Vice President of Innovation and Chief Information Officer, Vancouver International Airport. “By working together, both airports are exploring ways to improve the passenger journey while enhancing operational efficiency and resilience, not to mention supporting continued travel and trade growth between our two countries.”

Two-way trade between Canada and India was valued at more than $10.9 billion in 2025 alone, with both governments working to grow volumes considerably in the coming years. British Columbia is home to one of the largest Indian diasporas in the world, comprising nearly 500,000 people and representing close to 10 per cent of B.C.’s population. Meanwhile, Bengaluru has seen considerable population growth with a rapidly growing tech sector and increasing business-to-business connections with Western Canada and the Western United States.

“This strategic partnership establishes a robust framework to advance technology integration and operational excellence by benchmarking against global best practices. By leveraging Vancouver’s standing as a premier international gateway and Bengaluru’s position as one of India’s most dynamic aviation hubs, the collaboration will focus on co-developing next-generation capabilities across digital platforms, data-driven decision-making, and process optimization. Our teams will work closely to exchange proven models in smart airport technologies, sustainable operations, and terminal performance management, setting new benchmarks in efficiency, resilience, and passenger experience. This partnership reinforces our shared commitment to building future-ready airports that deliver consistently world-class outcomes,” said Girish Nair, Chief Operating Officer of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL).

Hon. Maninder Sidhu, Canada’s Minister of International Trade, said: "As we move at speed to diversify Canada's trade relationships with partners like India, our trade corridors are seeing real results. At Vancouver International Airport, air cargo volumes grew by 7.4% in 2025, and today's agreement with Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru lays the groundwork for direct air service to one of the world's fastest-growing markets. That means more trade, more investment and stronger people-to-people ties between our countries."

“The announcement of a sister airport agreement between YVR and India’s BLR Airport in Bengaluru marks a significant milestone in deepening economic connections between Western Canada and Southern India, establishing a new runway for shared technological and innovative collaboration as Canada actively bolsters its engagement with the world’s most populous democracy,” said Jeff Nankivell, President & CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. “This is an important first step in establishing direct air connectivity between these two growing trade and transport hubs, which combinedly handled more than 885,000 metric tonnes of cargo and welcomed 71 million passengers last year. This new agreement promises significant economic benefits for Canada and India in the years ahead.”

“In an era of accelerating change, strategic connectivity is essential for business leaders,” said Victor Thomas, President and CEO of the Canada India Business Council. “The linkage between two world-class innovation hubs through YVR and BLR will strengthen Canada–India business ties and unlock new economic opportunities.”

YVR is coming off a record year in 2025, with 26.9 million passengers travelling through the airport and the movement of 365,000 tonnes of cargo, up 7.4 per cent from 2024. The airport is set to eclipse those numbers in 2026 with a continued increase in passenger traffic and double-digit growth in cargo volumes. This was accomplished thanks to strong operations and customer service combined with globally recognized innovation. YVR was recently voted Best Airport in North America by Skytrax for a record 15^th year and named as one of the top 10 airports globally. YVR also recently announced a commitment to doubling air cargo volumes in the next five years in support of diversifying trade and getting more of Canada to global markets.

BLR also celebrated a strong 2025, with 44.47 million passengers including a 23.9 per cent increase in international passengers. The airport moved 532,000 tonnes of cargo last year, up 6 per cent year over year, and is India’s leading gateway for perishable exports. BLR’s Terminal 2 is the first and only airport terminal in India to receive the prestigious 5-Star Airport Terminal Rating from Skytrax.

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