Co-organized with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APFC), this dialogue builds on the steady normalization of Canada–India ties since 2025 and the February 2026 visit of India’s National Security Advisor to Ottawa, which produced a shared workplan on national security, liaison officer postings, and structured cooperation on cybersecurity and information sharing. Set against India’s defence budget of roughly US$85–86 billion for FY 2026–27 and Canada’s newly launched Defence Industrial Strategy, backed by C$6.6 billion in near-term support and a long-term procurement envelope exceeding half a trillion dollars, the discussion assessed how both sides can translate political reset into practical, sector-specific collaboration.

Bringing together senior officials, industry leaders, and strategic experts in a Track 1.5 setting, the session examined how India’s procurement reforms under DPM 2025 and forthcoming acquisition changes intersect with Canada’s “build, partner, buy” approach and export-oriented industrial base. It focused on near-term, tightly scoped opportunities in training and simulation ecosystems; propulsion, sustainment, and MRO services; cyber-enabled and software-centric systems; space-enabled ISR analytics; trusted electronics and photonics; and critical minerals supply-chain partnerships. The dialogue also situated these prospects within India’s broader diversification of defence partnerships and evolving global supply-chain dynamics, identifying areas where timely Canadian engagement can secure durable footholds.

Experts

Canadian Delegation

Indian Delegation

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