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Canadian High Commissioner to India Chris Cooter outlined a strategic framework to expand defence, aerospace and critical-minerals cooperation with India, building on Canadian PM Mark Carney's February 2026 state visit.
Canada holds reserves of 31 critical minerals — including 5% of world tungsten reserves and the 10th-largest rare earth reserves — and signed a Critical Minerals Cooperation MoU with India in March 2026.
Canada has surpassed 2% of GDP on defence spending in 2026 and aims for 5% by 2035, alongside a $500 million aerospace/drone R&D push.
Institutional steps so far include reciprocal Defence Advisers, a bilateral Defence Dialogue, and military exchange programmes.
Streamline military-to-military communication
Key: Accredited in both Ottawa and New Delhi
Align industrial capacity and security goals
Key: High-level institutionalised dialogue
Resilient, non-monopolised supply chains
Key: Signed at March 2026 summit
GS Paper II - International Relations (India's bilateral relations)
Minerals (e.g., rare earths, tungsten) essential for high-tech and defence manufacturing, often subject to supply-concentration risk