Compared with voltage source inverters (VSI), current source inverter (CSI) has several advantages, including voltage boosting capability, shortcircuit and overcurrent protection, lower output current harmonic distortion, and higher operational reliability. However, the direct-current (DC) bus current in a CSI is generated by charging and discharging an inductor from a DC voltage source, and therefore does not exhibit the characteristics of an ideal constant current source. Furthermore, the inability of the CSI to operate in a step-down mode and to facilitate bidirectional power flow significantly limits its applicability in motor drive systems. To overcome the inherent limitations of the conventional CSI, this paper focuses on a two-stage CSI induction motor drive system incorporating a bidirectional chopper and investigates its maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) control strategy. Firstly, by establishing the steady-state mathematical model of the motor and the alternating-current (AC) filter capacitor, expressions are derived for the minimum DC bus current reference and the optimal stator excitation current reference under the MTPA criterion. Subsequently, based on the operating mode of the bidirectional chopper, a hysteresis control strategy for the DC bus is proposed to enable rapid and precise tracking of the DC bus current to its reference under varying operating conditions. Finally, a MATLAB/Simulink simulation model and a digitally controlled experimental platform are established to validate the proposed MTPA control strategy for the CSI driven motor system. The sensitivity of the MTPA calculation accuracy to variations in the motor and capacitor parameters is also analyzed. The results demonstrate that the implementation of a DC bus current hysteresis control based on a bidirectional chopper, the DC side of the CSI exhibits characteristics of a controlled current source. Furthermore, the proposed MTPA control strategy effectively reduces the torque ripple and current harmonic distortion of the induction motor, leading to improved dynamic and steady-state performance.