TORONTO (TIP): “As Prime Minister Carney says, we are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition. That means we must move quickly to deepen and enhance partnerships in every corner of the globe and use the natural advantages and resources we have to build Canada Strong.
“As one of the largest and fastest-growing economies in the world, India is looking to us as a potential supplier of energy and minerals. I am pleased to work with India to build partnerships that advance bilateral trade and investment, global energy security, and the clean energy transition and generate revenue in Canada that we can use to pay for the public services we rely on. This is what being an energy superpower looks like,” says Tim Hodgson, Canadian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, at the conclusion of his trip to India, where he attended India Energy Week and met with leaders of major Indian energy companies and his Indian counterparts to discuss opportunities to deepen bilateral trade and investment.
He is the third Canadian minister, after Anita Indira Anand and Maninder Singh Sidhu, to visit India during the past few months. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is also expected to visit India in the coming months.
As Canada diversifies trade and attracts new investment to build the strongest economy in the G7, he says, “We are prioritizing broad engagement to maximize opportunities for our industries. That includes building new and enhanced relationships with Asian markets seeking long-term, reliable collaboration in energy and critical minerals.
“As one of the world’s largest economies, India is expected to have the largest growth in global energy demand from now through to 2030—offering a significant opportunity for Canada to supply Indian partners and customers with world-class, low-cost, low-carbon Canadian resources,” he said.
During India Energy Week, Minister Hodgson relaunched the Canada-India Ministerial Energy Dialogue (CIMED) alongside Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and endorsed the CIMED Action Plan. These initiatives mark a crucial first step for Canada toward a long-term, collaborative bilateral relationship with India that will serve as an important channel for sustained discussions on advancing Canada–India energy projects, potential long-term supply agreements, joint ventures, business-to-business deals, and targeted investments.
Minister Hodgson also met Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of Mines, in New Delhi following his participation in India Energy Week. The two ministers agreed to formalize Canada and India’s cooperation on critical minerals in the coming weeks, including a high-level Indian government and industry delegation coming to the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Convention in Toronto in March 2026.
There is strong alignment between India’s ambitions and Canada’s push to begin building major energy and natural resource projects again, including LNG and recent investments under the G7 Critical Minerals Production Alliance. Rebuilding Canada’s relationship with India is key to achieving the Prime Minister’s goal of doubling exports to non-U.S. markets by 2035.
Canada has what the world wants, from conventional and clean energy to critical minerals, and we are leveraging these strengths to build partnerships with major global players—creating economic opportunities at home to foster our position as an energy superpower worldwide. Recognizing the opportunities for enhanced economic cooperation, Canada’s participation in India Energy Week continues positive momentum and bilateral engagement with India toward more reliable supply chains and strategic stability, for the benefit of both countries.
(Prabhjot Singh is a Toronto-based Senior Journalist. He can be reached at prabhjot416@gmail.com)
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