NEW DELHI, Jan. 29, 2026 /CNW/ - As Canada diversifies trade and attracts new investment to build the strongest economy in the G7, 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 world-class, low-cost, low-carbon Canadian resources.

Today, the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, concluded 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.

During India Energy Week, Minister Hodgson re-launched 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.

Building on discussions of Indian investment and potential offtake opportunities for Canadian energy and minerals, the Ministers issued a joint statement on energy cooperation to reaffirm the complementary strengths of Canada's and India's energy and natural resources sectors — with Canada as a supplier and India as a nation with growing demand — and our shared commitment to promote conventional energy investments in both countries.

Minister Hodgson met with Piyush Goyal, India's Secretary for the Ministry of Mines, in New Delhi following his participation in India Energy Week. The Minister and the Secretary 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.

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.

Quotes

"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, 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."

The Honourable Tim Hodgson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

Quick Facts

• 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.

Associated Links

• Joint Statement Between Natural Resources Canada and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas of India

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada