India and Canada sealed key pacts on supply of uranium and critical minerals, as Prime
Minister (PM) Narendra Modi held talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in New Delhi in an effort to establish “strategic trust”. Both the leaders finalised a new framework to shore up bilateral annual trade to USD 50 billion by 2030. Modi and Carney also pledged to enhance cooperation in defence, small and modular nuclear reactors, critical technologies, education and renewable energy. They also talked about the ongoing conflict in Middle East with PM Modi asserting that India supports resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomacy.
The development comes amid sour ties between Canada and the U.S. The fresh move to strengthen ties came as part of ongoing efforts by the New Delhi and Ottawa to reset the relations that came under strain following the killing of Canadian Khalistani activist Hardeep
Singh Nijjar in 2023. Canadian investigative agency alleged that two Indian officials in the Indian consulate in Vancouver were involved in the killing. In 2024, India called back its high commissioner and five other diplomats and expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats. Mr. Carney is the first Canadian Prime Minister to make a bilateral visit to India since his predecessor Justin Trudeau visited India in 2018, and then in 2023 to attend the G-20 summit.
The volume of two-way annual trade at present is around USD 13 billion. Canada decided to
join the India-led multilateral International Solar Alliance (ISA) and Global Biofuel Alliance as a member. Canada is known for its significant reserves of critical minerals and rare earth materials. Prime Minister Modi highlighted growing cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, supercomputing and semiconductors.
.
