India and Canada hold their first Defence Dialogue and pick industry and research as priority areas

3 November 2026

India and Canada held their inaugural Defence Dialogue in virtual format. From the Indian side it was co-chaired by Dr. Amit Telang, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) in the Ministry of Defence. For Canada the co-chair was Mr. Scott Millar, who is Assistant Deputy Minister for Policy at that country's defence ministry. Each delegation set out how it reads defence policy and the wider strategic picture. They named defence industrial cooperation, military-technical cooperation and defence research and development as priority areas. The talks were built on the Joint Statement issued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Mark Carney on 2 March 2026. Both sides agreed to stay in touch to carry the proposals forward.