Science and technology cooperation between countries is a way to exchange expertise and develop solutions that serve both economies. Canada and India have nearly 80 years of diplomatic relations, and their formal S&T partnership dates to a 2005 agreement that is still in force. This page explains what the agreement covers, how projects were funded, and where cooperation stands in 2026.
Canada has a history of forming international S&T relationships through bilateral agreements. The main funding vehicle for the India relationship was the International Science and Technology Partnerships Program, set up in 2005 with $20 million over five years and renewed in 2011. It covered China, Brazil, India and Israel. Its delivery organization, ISTPCanada, closed on March 31, 2015.
Canada and India Science and Technology (S&T) Cooperation
The Canada-India Science and Technology Agreement was signed on November 18, 2005, in Toronto, by Jim Peterson, Canada’s Minister of International Trade, and Kapil Sibal, India’s Minister of State for Science and Technology and Ocean Development. Canada committed $6.75 million over five years, and India pledged to match it. The agreement renews automatically every five years and entered into force on November 11, 2008.
The agreement was made to expand collaborative research and bring researchers and innovators from both countries together. It facilitates joint technological and scientific projects, exchange of information and exchange of experts. It teams up governments, researchers, businesses and universities to work on new products, ideas and solutions, supported by investment aimed at job creation from research and development.
Areas of Collaboration
The Canada-India Joint S&T Cooperation Committee is responsible for implementing projects and overseeing working groups. At signing, the priority areas were biotechnology and nanotechnology, renewable energy and earth sciences, and information and communication technology (ICT). The scope expanded over time. In March 2008, photonics, biopharmaceuticals, synchrotron science and aerospace were added. In June 2008, David Emerson and Kapil Sibal announced 10 joint initiatives worth $17 million in total.
Examples of work under these areas included alternative energy sources and sustainable environmental solutions, medical technology and health research, nanomedicine and nanoscience, aerospace management, disaster management, earth science and environment, ICT, and nanotechnology and biotechnology.
Nature of Funding
Under the 2005 agreement, Canada introduced $6.75 million over five years. In 2008, the two countries added new joint S&T initiatives amounting to $17 million. The Canadian side of the funding was managed by the International Science and Technology Partnerships Program. India matched Canada’s funding according to the terms of the agreement. Many federal and provincial government agencies and private-sector organizations in both countries also contributed funds to joint S&T projects.
What replaced the ISTP Program
After ISTPCanada closed, the Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP) funded joint industrial R&D with Brazil, China, India, Israel and South Korea. Its partnership activities now run under Global Affairs Canada’s Innovation Partnership Program, which covers up to 50% of eligible costs for small and medium-sized businesses. A partnering mission to India on AI — covering data centres, telecom and fintech — is planned for February–March 2027.
The Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee
The 7th meeting of the Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee (JSTCC) took place on May 19, 2022, in Ottawa. Priorities for 2022–2024 were agriculture and food security, health, clean technology, marine and polar research, quantum and AI, and researcher mobility.
The 8th meeting was held on May 29, 2026, in New Delhi, after a four-year pause. The two sides signed an implementation arrangement covering AI, green hydrogen, microelectronics, critical minerals, biofuels, climate-resilient agriculture, and marine and space research. The meeting was co-chaired by India’s Department of Science and Technology and Global Affairs Canada.
Who does the work
Several organizations carry out Canada-India research collaboration. The Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, founded in 1968, is a binational body with offices in Calgary and New Delhi. IC-IMPACTS was a research network hosted at the University of British Columbia and funded by the Networks of Centres of Excellence program from 2012 to 2024, with about 110 projects co-funded dollar for dollar by India’s Department of Biotechnology and Department of Science and Technology. Mitacs has supported more than 4,000 Canada-India research projects since 2018; under a March 2026 agreement with India’s All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), 300 Indian undergraduates a year will come to Canada for 12-week Globalink internships, starting in summer 2027.
Recent context
Relations were strained in 2023–2024. In June 2025, at the G7 in Kananaskis, Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Modi agreed to restore high commissioners. An October 13, 2025 joint statement set out a roadmap that included relaunching the S&T committee, AI partnerships and a critical minerals dialogue. During Carney’s visit to India on March 2, 2026, the two countries launched talks on a trade agreement (CEPA), signed a critical minerals memorandum and planned space cooperation between the Canadian Space Agency and ISRO.
Scale
India’s R&D spending reached 0.84% of GDP in 2023–24. Canada spent $57.4 billion on R&D in 2023. Canada-India trade in goods and services was $30.4 billion in 2025, and 392,810 Indian students held Canadian study permits in 2024.
Rules and programs change often, so check the official pages before you rely on any specific detail.