3 minutes read time
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 mission, we spoke to attendees of our earlier trips for their insights.
Fredericton’s Teledyne CARIS is a leading developer of software solutions for ocean mapping. Founded over 45 years ago, CARIS pioneered digital marine mapping technologies and has grown into a global leader in its field. Today, CARIS software supports coastal nations and organizations in more than 110 countries, providing advanced tools for managing, analyzing, and visualizing marine and hydrographic data.
Andy Hoggarth, Vice President and General Manager, tells us more about his India experience.
You participated in ONB’s mission to India in March 2025. What were your big takeaways?
That mission was about strengthening relationships with existing clients and distributors while exploring new business opportunities. The mission lived up to my expectations. It provided an ideal platform to meet with key partners, including the Indian Navy, which is our primary client in India, as well as defence integrators and major port authorities such as Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd.
Also, while in New Delhi, I was also able to formally sign an agreement with a second Indian distributor, Spry Technocon. This expands CARIS’s distribution network and reinforces our commitment to growth and collaboration in the country.
How do you see your presence evolving there in the coming years, and what opportunities do you see in that market?
We see great potential to expand our presence in India while furthering our relationship with the Indian Navy. Historically, we’ve focused on coastal and oceanographic applications, but the next growth phase is aimed at the ports and inland waterways. Bringing on a second distributor in Spry is a strategic step toward that goal.
I feel that the same high-performance software trusted by the Navy will bring considerable value to port authorities and inland waterway operators. Many of these organizations still rely on legacy systems introduced decades ago, so we see an opportunity to demonstrate how CARIS can deliver more efficient, accurate, and modern solutions utilizing AI.
How has ONB’s support helped the company in India?
ONB’s support during the 2025 trade mission was outstanding. The quality of the matchmaking and potential clients introduced through ONB’s network exceeded my expectations. Its strong on-the-ground presence in India ensured that meetings were well targeted, allowing me to connect directly with many of the key organizations and decision-makers I hoped to engage. We established valuable new contacts in our priority markets as a result.
What advice would you give to other firms considering exploring the Indian market?
The key to success lies in building and maintaining strong, genuine relationships. In India, business is built on trust and personal connection, something that can’t be achieved in a single visit. It takes time, consistency, and ongoing effort to develop and nurture those relationships.
Equally important is finding a reliable local partner or distributor to represent your products or services on the ground. A strong in-country partner becomes your main point of contact with clients and helps sustain the frequent, relationship-driven interactions that are difficult to manage from Canada.
–
ONB is returning to India in February 2026. Express your interest by filling out the form at this link.
