India is a rapidly expanding market, offering growing demand across multiple sectors. Building on the success of our March 2025 trade mission, ONB is expanding its efforts to help more New Brunswick businesses make meaningful connections in India. Ahead of our upcoming India trade missions, we spoke to attendees of our earlier trips for their India insights.
Atlantic Education International (AEI) is a New Brunswick–based educational organization which brings students from over 40 countries to study in New Brunswick. Its program benefits local schools, districts, and host families through financial support tied to student participation. AEI also licenses and sells New Brunswick’s curriculum to international schools.
Stephanie Underhill Tomilson, President and CEO, tells us more about her team’s India experience earlier this year, and what they expect from the upcoming 2026 trip.
What were your hopes for ONB’s March 2025 India trade mission? What were your top takeaways?
It was our first visit, so we hoped to learn about a potentially huge market for our services. We learned that building trust takes time and face-to-face relationships matter most. It is not a one-trip thing. Putting a new school in place takes time, and we have to give the owners/administrators space to do that while letting them know what we can offer. Also, we need to be qualified to sell our curriculum in India, and that takes a few months.
What are your key objectives/priorities as we head towards the December 2025 mission?
While we go through the certification process, this mission is about making new touchpoints. We had great luck in the big cities last time and learned there are some smaller cities that may hold valuable partners.
We also plan to revisit the schools that we spoke to before and show our faces again. They want the confidence that you’re going to return. They don’t want to purchase a service and then have the providers disappear. They want to see that you’re willing to play the long game and be present. I want to show that we are committed.
AEI has entered the certification process to sell curriculum in India. What can you tell us about that?
Education in India is undergoing restructuring as two governing bodies have merged, which has slowed our certification progress. We were informed of this early on, fortunately, so it’s not a surprise. It’s a process that requires patience, tenaciousness, and consistent follow-up, and we remain positive as we continue building valuable connections.
How has ONB’s support helped AEI in expanding its reach and engagement in India?
I have nothing but great things to say. ONB’s support has been outstanding. Their organization, communication, and partnerships, particularly with ICBC, helped us connect with valuable leads. The mission was extremely well organized, and ONB’s team provided excellent guidance and support, including the pre-mission webinars. We felt safe, supported, and well cared for throughout the process. That’s why we are returning.
What advice would you give to other New Brunswick teams interested in exploring opportunities in India?
India’s growth is tremendous, and it’s driven by one of the world’s fastest-growing middle classes. That means strong demand for quality education, and that, coupled with booming infrastructure and rapid technology development, is creating real opportunities for New Brunswick firms. To succeed there, you need a strong, appealing product and a willingness to adapt. And again, be ready and willing to put in the time in market.
ONB is returning to India in February 2026, express your interest by filling out the form at this link.
