This Track 1.5 dialogue, a joint initiative of the Council for Strategic and Defense Research (CSDR) and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) as part of the India-Canada Research Initiative, was convened at a pivotal moment in India-Canada relations. The dialogue was held on November 26, 2025, at the CSDR offices in New Delhi, India.
As one dialogue participant observed, bilateral ties have shifted from "hopeless to promising" since early 2024, creating unexpected space for strategic engagement. Other participants characterized this meeting as the first structured effort to advance defence co-operation following earlier discussions on trade, critical minerals, and climate technology.
While past collaboration exists—peacekeeping operations, disaster relief, the 2018 counterterrorism working group, and the 2015 space MoU—momentum has remained elusive. Recent October-November 2025 joint statements on aerospace, dual-use technologies, and cybersecurity signal renewed commitment. Yet, fundamental challenges persist: export-control restrictions, limited strategic trust, and divergent Indo-Pacific threat assessments.
