"Canada and India fit very well together on critical minerals": Canadian envoy Chris Cooter
By Ayushi Agarwal, New Delhi, June 22
Canadian High Commissioner to India Chris Cooter on Monday said that Canada sees significant opportunities to deepen cooperation with India in critical minerals and clean energy, with both countries increasingly seeking reliable partners amid global geopolitical and economic disruptions.
Speaking to ANI, Cooter said Canada and India are well-positioned to complement each other's strengths, particularly in the clean energy transition and critical minerals sector.
"Countries like Canada and like India, I would say, are looking for partners that they can rely on. And Canada and India then fit very well together," he said. "If you think of it as two gears, they're gears that need to come together because one can propel the other if they fit. And they do fit very well on critical minerals," he added.
Highlighting Canada's resource base, Cooter said the country possesses vast reserves of minerals essential for India's industrial growth and energy transition.
"We have something like six billion tons of metallurgical coal in Canada," he said, noting that Canada currently exports only a fraction of India's annual coal imports despite having "lots and lots of headroom to grow."
He also pointed to cooperation in uranium, nickel, lithium, rare earth elements and tungsten, saying Canada is positioning itself as a long-term and reliable supplier.
"We're the number two in terms of production of uranium in the world. You have set a goal of 100 gigawatts for nuclear power. Right now you're at 8 gigawatts. The remaining 92 gigawatts needs uranium," he said.
On rare earths, Cooter noted, "We have one-third of all of the active projects outside of China taking place in Canada," while adding that Canada has established North America's first rare earth processing facility in Saskatchewan.
He said Canada is also accelerating approvals for mining and infrastructure projects to strengthen supply chains. "We're moving to get approvals done in about half the time or less than they were before. We're looking at one-year approvals for mines, for example, in British Columbia," he said.
The envoy also highlighted Canada's growing energy export capacity, including natural gas, LPG and oil, which could support India's energy security needs.
"We will be able to produce and ship 50 million tons of natural gas within the next one to two years. We will be able to produce LPG for you," he said, adding that Canada is expanding infrastructure on its west coast to facilitate exports to Asian markets.
— ANI
Reader Comments
All this sounds promising on paper, but let's not forget the diplomatic tensions from last year. Trust needs to be rebuilt step by step. Also, India should negotiate hard on pricing and ensure these aren't just raw material exports but also technology transfers. Make in India should benefit too.
"Two gears fitting together" - nice analogy, envoy! India's 100 GW nuclear goal needs that uranium badly. And with Canada sitting on 6 billion tons of metallurgical coal, this could really power our steel industry. But approvals in one year in BC? Let's see if they actually deliver. Actions speak louder than words.
As someone working in renewable energy, this is welcome news. Canada's rare earth processing facility in Saskatchewan plus their lithium reserves could help India's EV battery ecosystem. But we need to ensure these partnerships are mutually beneficial and not extractive. Excited about the possibilities though!
On the surface, this sounds great - uranium for nuclear, metallurgical coal for steel, rare earths for tech. But we've heard such promises before. Remember the WTO disputes and the Khalistan issue? Let's focus on tangible outcomes first. Still, I'm optimistic about critical mineral cooperation, especially for our energy security.
This is exactly the kind of strategic alignment Canada and India need. India's growing energy demands meet Canada's vast resources. Plus, both countries share democratic values. The 92 GW nuclear gap is a huge opportunity for Canadian uranium. Let's hope the bureaucratic hurdles are minimized for faster implementation. Good diplomacy!
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