India, Canada Deepen Ties on Critical Minerals, EVs and Clean Manufacturing

Welcoming the Canadian delegation, Minister Kumaraswamy highlighted India’s rapid rise as a global manufacturing hub, particularly in the automobile and electric mobility sectors.

India and Canada have agreed to strengthen cooperation in critical minerals, clean mobility, battery manufacturing and sustainable industrial development, following a high-level bilateral meeting held in New Delhi between Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy and a Canadian delegation led by Tim Hodgson, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources.

The talks, held at Udyog Bhawan, were anchored in India’s long-term vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 and the country’s Net Zero by 2070 commitment, and focused on building resilient, future-ready industrial ecosystems aligned with clean energy and advanced manufacturing goals.

Clean mobility and EV leadership

Welcoming the Canadian delegation, Minister Kumaraswamy highlighted India’s rapid rise as a global manufacturing hub, particularly in the automobile and electric mobility sectors.

“Automotive, heavy electricals and capital goods are key pillars supporting India’s sustainable growth trajectory,” he said, noting that India is among the world’s leading manufacturers of passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, heavy trucks, and two- and three-wheelers.

He pointed to the success of the FAME-II scheme, which supported over 16 lakh electric vehicles and enabled the rollout of more than 10,900 public charging stations nationwide. Flagship initiatives such as PM E-DRIVE and PM e-Bus Sewa are now driving the next phase of growth, covering electric two- and three-wheelers, buses, e-trucks, charging infrastructure and testing facilities.

“These initiatives are strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities and ensuring global safety and performance standards,” the Minister said.

Battery ecosystem and critical minerals in focus

A central theme of the discussions was the creation of a secure battery manufacturing ecosystem and reliable access to critical minerals essential for clean energy technologies.

India, the Minister noted, has rolled out an incentive programme of nearly US$ 2 billion to build indigenous capacity in Advanced Chemistry Cells. He said Canada’s strengths in both critical mineral availability and processing offer strong opportunities for building resilient global supply chains.

The Minister also highlighted that NMDC is exploring coal reserves in Canada to support India’s steel manufacturing capacity and long-term energy security.

Canada offers technology and mineral support

Canadian Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson praised India’s progress in clean mobility and industrial innovation, describing the country as a global leader in battery technologies and electric mobility solutions. He expressed Canada’s willingness to share advanced battery technologies and deepen collaboration with Indian partners.

Mr. Hodgson reiterated Canada’s readiness to support India’s requirements for lithium, cobalt, graphite and rare earth elements, while also seeking greater access to Indian markets for Canadian firms.

Next steps: structured collaboration

Both sides discussed coordination frameworks for joint work in battery cells and components, next-generation battery R&D, critical mineral supply chains, testing and certification infrastructure, clean mobility solutions and sustainable manufacturing processes.

Senior officials from the Ministries of Heavy Industries and Steel, NMDC, BHEL, the Ministry of External Affairs, and members of the Canadian delegation participated, underlining strong institutional commitment on both sides.

Concluding the meeting, Minister Kumaraswamy reaffirmed India’s commitment to deeper engagement with Canada.

“Together, these initiatives are building a clean, resilient and self-reliant automotive ecosystem, positioning India as a global hub for sustainable mobility,” he said.

Both countries agreed to maintain structured follow-ups, technical consultations and industry-level engagements to translate discussions into concrete projects and long-term partnerships.