Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard on Monday formally launched a grouping of more than 20 Mexico-based binational trade chambers, including ones that represent companies from the United States, Canada, China and India.
The grouping is called the Forum of Binational Trade Chambers in Mexico, and is described in official literature as a “collaborative platform that brings together various binational trade chambers in Mexico and their members under a shared commitment to strengthen economic cooperation and advance mutual prosperity.”
Among the chambers that are part of the new forum are the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Mexico, the Mexico-China Chamber of Commerce and Technology and the Trade and Commerce Council of India and Mexico.
Also part of the forum are Mexico-based trade chambers that represent companies from Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
In addition, the Latin-African Chamber of Commerce and the Nordic Chamber of Commerce in Mexico are part of the group, which the Embassy of India in Mexico had a central role in creating.
The participating trade chambers look set to work together toward their common goals, with their officials gathering at regular meetings to discuss the progress they have made and future initiatives. It appears that those meetings will also use the name Forum of Binational Trade Chambers in Mexico.
In a social media post on Monday morning, Ebrard thanked India’s Ambassador in Mexico, Pankaj Sharma, for “his kind invitation to inaugurate” the Forum of Binational Trade Chambers in Mexico at an event held at a Mexico City hotel.
“The main topic of the forum is President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Plan Mexico,” he wrote, referring to the ambitious economic initiative first presented by the federal government in early 2025.
In a separate social media post, Ebrard conveyed a succinct message to the binational chambers of commerce that operate in Mexico: “The government of President Sheinbaum supports and accompanies investment and trade with our international partners.”
Un mensaje a las Cámaras Binacionales de Comercio: el Gobierno de la Presidenta Sheinbaum respalda y acompaña la inversión y el comercio con nuestros socios internacionales . pic.twitter.com/xjx9RwaehS
— Marcelo Ebrard C. (@m_ebrard) March 23, 2026
The formation of the Forum of Binational Trade Chambers in Mexico comes after Mexico received a record high of almost US $41 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2025.
As part of Plan Mexico, the federal government is actively seeking to increase FDI in Mexico and spur greater domestic production across a range of manufacturing sectors in order to reduce reliance on imports.
Interestingly, the new grouping of binational trade chambers brings together organizations that represent companies from the United States and China, countries that are engaged in a trade war that has escalated significantly during the second term of U.S. President Donald Trump. At the start of this year, Mexico imposed new and higher tariffs on goods from China, a measure widely seen as an attempt to appease the Trump administration ahead of this year’s review of the USMCA trade pact.
Indian Ambassador: ‘Collaboration across borders is not optional, but essential’
Sharma, India’s ambassador to Mexico since early 2022, gave a welcome address at the Monday morning event at which the Forum of Binational Trade Chambers in Mexico was launched.
“This gathering represents far more than the coming together of institutions,” he said, according to a copy of the ambassador’s remarks provided to Mexico News Daily by the Indian Embassy.
“It reflects a shared belief that collaboration across borders is not optional, but essential, and that economic partnerships must be built on trust, continuity, and a shared purpose,” Sharma said.
The ambassador also said that “the initiative” launched on Monday in the form of a grouping of binational trade chambers “aligns closely with Plan Mexico.”
Mexico and India eye tech investment, pharma deals in push to deepen trade ties
The Mexican government plan outlines “a vision that resonates deeply with all of us present here, because it mirrors our own commitment to contribute constructively to the development of Mexico, our second home, while strengthening ties between our respective countries,” Sharma said.
He also said that the newly created forum “enables us to think collectively, collaborate effectively, and deliver meaningful outcomes.”
“More importantly, through this platform we can ensure that our joint efforts are harmonized with Mexico’s national priorities and contribute to the country’s broader development vision,” Sharma added.
“… The success of this initiative will not be defined by its launch, but by what we build through it. It is the beginning of a deeper engagement for growth and prosperity with a sense of common purpose,” he said.
Each trade chamber is a ‘bridge’ to Mexico
The president of the Mexico-Israel Chamber of Commerce in Mexico delivered a speech on behalf of all the trade chambers represented in the new forum.
“The binational chambers … [present] in this room represent decades of silent work [and] real connections between companies, markets and governments,” said Sony Chalouh.
“Each one of us is an active bridge between Mexico and a partner country,” he said.
Chalouh declared that “it’s time” for binational trade chambers and embassies in Mexico to “act in a coordinated and strategic way, pooling capabilities to consolidate investments that drive the development and competitiveness” of Mexico.
He also said that the launch of the new forum is “not just an event,” but the “beginning of a work agenda aimed at concrete results in the area of investment.”
The forum is “a mechanism that aligns the market intelligence of each chamber with the priority projects of Plan Mexico,” Chalouh said.
Directly addressing Economy Minister Ebrard, he declared that the Mexico-based binational chambers and embassies in Mexico are a “strategic asset that can increase the reach of Plan Mexico to the international markets that each of us represent.”
“Today we propose that you convert this asset into a real productive force with a shared agenda, follow-up and measurable results,” Chalouh said.
He also acknowledged the work of Ambassador Sharma for making the new binational trade chamber forum a reality.
“Ambassador, you made possible what many of us imagined, but few were able to achieve,” Chalouh said.
More about the new forum
According to a prospectus provided to Mexico News Daily, the Forum of Binational Trade Chambers in Mexico “seeks to play a constructive role in the country’s ongoing transformation” by “aligning the interests of the participating chambers with Mexico’s national development priorities.”
In addition, the forum:
- “Serves as a structured mechanism to foster dialogue, promote investment, and deepen commercial ties among the participating countries and Mexico.”
- “Strives to strengthen trust and long-term engagement between international business communities in Mexico and national stakeholders.”
- “Aims to contribute” to the “strategic vision” of Plan Mexico “across key sectors such as energy, automotive, technology, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, green energy and sustainability.”
- “Provides a platform for participating chambers, international businesses, and local stakeholders in Mexico to engage in collective problem-solving and coordinated action on shared challenges, ranging from supply chain resilience to sustainability and inclusive growth.”
The forum brings together chambers that represent companies from countries that are the largest investors in Mexico, namely the United States, Spain, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan.
Also represented are trade chambers representing companies from countries whose trade with, and investment in, Mexico has increased in recent years, such as China and India.
During his address at the forum launch event, Ebrard said that he plans to visit India as Mexico’s trade with the world’s most populous country “is growing.”
Still, the two-way trade relationship “doesn’t have the dimension it should have or could have,” he said.
Mexico News Daily
