Alison Redford headed to India to open Alberta trade office

AlbertaPremier Alison Redford is headed to India Thursdayto open a newtrade office there.

• Alberta to open 6 new trade offices

She and her team will attend a petroleum conference in New Delhi and meet with government officials, as well as open thetrade office, which will be located inside the Canadian Embassy there.

The premier says that will play an important role in developing Alberta's trade links with the south Asian country.

That's important because it signals to decisionmakers in India, both in government and in industry, that we're committed to building that relationship further," she said.

"Of course, we have already an existing relationship, primarily around agriculture. Many Albertans may not know there's a great deal of energy development happening in India, off-shore and on land.

Redford said her government is concentrating on building its trade relationship with the two key Asian markets, India and China.

We'll see where this goes. Of course, our success will be measured by commercial agreements," she said.

"Im not expecting necessarily that coming out of a six-day mission that those commercial agreements will all be concluded during those six days, but as we move forward, this is what trade development looks like.

Twenty-five Alberta energy companies are sending representatives to the conference in India.

Following the India trip, Redford will travel on to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.