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New Delhi, India – Following a four-year hiatus, Canada and India reconvened the Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee (JSTCC) in New Delhi, marking an important milestone in renewing bilateral engagement on science, technology, and innovation. Co-chaired by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of both countries to advancing research excellence, innovation, and economic growth through international collaboration.
As part of the Canadian delegation, Mitacs was represented by David Enriquez, Vice President, External Relations and International Affairs, who highlighted the critical role of international talent mobility, research collaboration, and industry-academic partnerships in advancing shared Canada–India priorities. Mitacs also showcased its programs as practical mechanisms to connect researchers, students, and industry partners in both countries, helping develop highly skilled talent, foster research excellence, and accelerate innovation and commercialization.
Participation at JSTCC builds on Mitacs reaffirmed commitment and collaboration with partners in India. In March 2026, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Mitacs signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The Mitacs-AICTE MOU will support 300 highly qualified senior undergraduate students from India to travel to Canada each year through the Mitacs Globalink Research Internship (GRI) Program. The first cohort will be in Canada in summer 2027.
Mitacs and India’s efforts to strengthen research ties and support talent development date back to 2009. Since 2018, Mitacs has supported more than 4,000 applied research projects connecting Indian and Canadian institutions, strengthening collaboration across academia, industry, and government. Most recently in November 2025, the Fields-Mitacs Summer Research Program was launched by Mitacs, the Fields Institute, and the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto. As a targeted mobility program in mathematics, it enables Canadian researchers to partner with elite talent from India’s top academic institutions, with the first cohort of students coming to Canada in 2026.
Quotes
“Talent mobility is essential to Canada’s long-term competitiveness, creating opportunities to access global expertise and accelerate research and business growth. Mitacs is committed to furthering collaboration with our partners in India, including through new agreements with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the Fields-Mitacs Summer Research Program. We see significant opportunities to strengthen collaboration, develop highly skilled talent, and advance shared priorities that benefit both countries.”
Dr. Stephen Lucas, CEO, Mitacs
“The reconvening of the JSTCC reflects renewed momentum in the Canada–India innovation relationship. It was encouraging to see such strong commitment from both countries to deepening collaboration in research, talent development, and emerging technologies that will help drive future economic growth and societal impact.”
David Enriquez, Vice-President, External Relations and International Affairs, Mitacs
About Mitacs
For over 25 years, Mitacs has helped grow the economy and develop the workforce of tomorrow, connecting industry with academia and global partners to solve real-world challenges. We support business-academic research collaboration through internships, co-funded with businesses, for undergraduate to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows.
As a national innovation connector, Mitacs takes a talent-first approach to strengthen innovation capacity and drive global competitiveness. We serve as an essential research-commercialization bridge, accelerating market entry and growth for new products and services.
This is a critical time for Canada to think big and take bold action. Mitacs is ready to help build a strong and resilient Canadian economy, powered by ideas, talent and innovation.
Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.
