Tim Hodgson, Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, said India’s energy transition will require a mix of solutions in the near and medium term, creating scope for deeper cooperation across natural gas, nuclear fuel, and critical minerals.
Speaking on the sidelines of India Energy Week, Hodgson said the global surge in power demand has exposed the limitations of renewable energy when it comes to providing a round-the-clock baseload supply without large-scale grid storage.
While renewables remain essential, he identified natural gas as the most immediate solution. “We’re in Canada are focused on abating natural gas. We can look at how we produce that natural gas with low methane emissions. We can look at pre-combustion sequestration. We can look at post-combustion sequestration and drive the carbon footprint of that down,” he said, describing gas as the “quickest way” to bridge the gap.
Beyond gas, Hodgson said nuclear power represents the next fastest route to securing reliable baseload energy. Highlighting Canada’s leadership in nuclear technology, he stated that the country is building the world’s first commercial small modular reactors while also pursuing large-scale nuclear projects.
Referring to India’s own plans to expand nuclear capacity, Hodgson said, “You’re going to need uranium to fuel those reactors, and Canada would be a wonderful source of supply for that.”
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The scope for partnership, he added, extends well beyond nuclear fuel. Following meetings with major Indian energy companies, Hodgson said there was strong interest in diversifying supply chains across multiple fuels and materials.
“What I heard from each of them is they’re interested in diversifying their sourcing of LNG. They’re interested in diversifying their sourcing of LPG. They’re interested in diversifying and adding to their critical minerals stockpiles,” he said, adding that there was also interest in conventional oil.
Hodgson placed these discussions within Canada’s broader push to expand international trade, with the Prime Minister having set a target to double commerce by 2030.
He stressed that Canada is actively seeking partners that share its commitment to open markets and predictable trade relationships. “We will not use energy for coercion. We will not use tariffs for leverage. We believe in multilateralism, we believe in free trade,” he said.
On the wider India–Canada relationship, Hodgson struck an optimistic note, saying recent engagement has helped rebuild momentum between the two countries.
“I think they both see a good path forward that’s a win for India, a win for Canada,” he said, adding that he was excited to be part of what he described as a “new beginning” aimed at delivering long-term mutual benefits.
Watch the interview in the accompanying video
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