Rebuilding ties with Canada is essential for repairing and strengthening India’s global standing. It signals India’s commitment to bridging divides, stabilising international relations, and solidifying its role as a leader, shaper, and stabilising force on the world stage.
Addressing G7 leaders, India made its stance clear: ‘Galvanise global action against terrorism and take strict action against those who promote and support it.’ The message was direct, urgent, and global — not just aimed at distant conflict zones, but at the heart of international diplomacy.
Amid a summit dominated by headlines of Trump’s abrupt departure and escalating tensions in the Israel-Iran conflict, India emerged as the voice of moral clarity. With the rise of transnational extremism and diaspora-driven threats, including the violence linked to fundamentalist elements in Canada, India’s call wasn’t about diplomatic gains — it was about safeguarding lives and ensuring societal harmony. The message was unambiguous: terrorism, in any form and from any geography, is a threat to all of humanity.
In a carefully choreographed yet unequivocal engagement, Narendra Modi met Mark Carney on the G7 sidelines, the first formal contact between PMs since the freeze in 2023. What unfolded was not a mere thaw, but a strategic pivot.
Restoration of high commissioners, revival of senior-level dialogues, and renewed cooperation across critical domains — including clean energy, food security, and digital infrastructure — signalled a shared resolve to rebuild ties on firmer ground. The message was clear: differences must not derail dialogue, and diplomacy must endure even when trust has been tested.
Among the most forward-looking developments of this rapprochement lies in critical minerals cooperation — a domain that could define not just bilateral trade, but global technological sovereignty. India’s current over-dependence on China for lithium (over 70%) and battery technology (75%) constitutes a strategic vulnerability. In contrast, Canada’s rich reserves, ethical mining frameworks, and political alignment offer a viable alternative. Yet in 2023, a mere 2% of Canada’s critical mineral exports reached India — a gross underutilisation of potential. According to the International Trade Centre, the latent export capacity exceeds C$589 mn in key materials like potash (C$344 mn), nickel (C$76 mn), and aluminium scrap (C$127 mn). Canada already accounts for 63% of India’s potash imports — indicating not only mutual interdependence but existing trust in supply chains.
With India offering duty-free access to 41 critical minerals and Canada’s 2022 Critical Minerals Strategy actively seeking global partners, both sides are poised to create a mineral corridor that supports clean energy goals, enhances supply chain security, and aligns economic interests with ecological responsibility.
Beyond raw materials, the dialogue laid the foundation for deeper convergence in frontier technologies — from AI to digital public infrastructure and cybersecurity.
This cooperation is not merely about economic opportunity; it’s about safeguarding democratic digital spaces in an era of algorithmic warfare and data manipulation. India’s leadership in creating India’s digital public goods and advocating for ethical AI has already drawn admiration globally. At the G7, these capabilities were not only acknowledged but sought after.
Perhaps the most delicate, yet defining, element of this G7 visit for India was GoI walking a fine, but resolute line on the Canadian Sikh community: confronting radicalisation without stigmatising a community. It reaffirmed the Sikh community’s invaluable role in India’s identity, while unequivocally denouncing violence masquerading as advocacy.
Modi, a G7 guest, channelled the conscience of the ‘global south’, advocating for equitable access to green technologies, debt relief for developing nations, and a climate agenda that is inclusive, not prescriptive. Amid widening North-South divides, India positioned itself as a pragmatic bridge — one that understands both the aspirations of developing countries and responsibilities of global leadership.
For a world on the brink of fragmentation, this was a blueprint for cooperation rooted in clarity, courage, and common purpose.
