Australia-Canada-India Tech Pact to Boost Green Energy

• India, Australia, and Canada launched the ACITI Partnership to boost green technology cooperation and strengthen critical-mineral supply chains
• PM Modi promoted the Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative to enhance recycling, research, and clean-energy transitions
• The G20 adopted a framework to ensure sustainable, responsible, and locally beneficial critical-mineral value chains

India, Australia, and Canada have initiated a substantial trilateral technology and innovation program called the Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership.

The announcement was made as Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the G20 Summit in Johannesburg.

The Australia Canada India partnership aims to drive green energy innovation and tech cooperation through clean technology, fostering trilateral collaboration in renewable energy and advanced technologies.

As stated by the Ministry of External Affairs, the partnership will use the shared strengths of the three countries to focus on innovations in green energy and supply chain resilience, especially with regard to critical minerals. The leaders welcomed the agreement to hold a meeting of officials from the three countries during the first quarter of 2026 to advance the Partnership.

The statement read, “It will deepen their respective ambition and strategic collaboration towards net zero and drive further diversification of supply chains towards a secure, sustainable, and resilient future. The Partnership will also examine the development and mass adoption of artificial intelligence to improve the lives of our citizens”.

During the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Modi made a case for six key documents, including the G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative, an initiative aimed at supporting global transitions to clean energy related to increased mineral circularity and recycling, the minimization of supply chain vulnerability and resilience, and the increase in collaborative research associated with critical minerals.

The G20 Declaration illustrates that as the economy rapidly shifts to a global digital, industrial and sustainable world, the demand for critical minerals will continue to increase.

Also Read: Australia Seeks Stronger Critical Minerals Ties with India

The Declaration stated, “We note that the benefits associated with critical minerals have not been fully realised and producer countries, especially in the developing world, are confronted with challenges of under investment, limited value addition and beneficiation, lack of technologies as well as socio-economic and environmental issues. Therefore, we welcome the G20 Critical Minerals Framework, which is a voluntary, non-binding blueprint to ensure that critical mineral resources become a driver of prosperity and sustainable development”.

To address this, the G20 offered a framework designed to strengthen the critical-mineral value chain on sustainability, transparency, and resiliency.  The framework enables investment in mineral exploration, promotes local value-addition at the source, and builds governance systems which promote responsible mining. 

The Declaration said, “To secure long term sustainable economic growth, we support increased exploration of critical minerals, particularly in developing countries; promoting diversification of mineral sources, routes, markets, processing locations, and value chains; enhanced value retention and beneficiation in mineral endowed developing countries; and the implementation of robust, non-discriminatory and relevant standards on economic, social and environmental aspects in accordance with national frameworks”.

It added, “We seek to ensure that the value chain of critical minerals can better withstand disruptions whether due to geopolitical tensions, unilateral trade measures inconsistent with WTO Rules, pandemics, or natural disasters and that more producer countries can participate in and benefit from value chains”.

The framework signifies the sovereign right of resource-rich countries to utilize their resources for inclusive growth while also maintaining social, environmental, and community-based stewardship.

The Declaration represents that critical minerals should function as vehicles for broad-based development, not simply as raw material export, and calls on governments, the private sector, financing institutions, and local communities to work together to facilitate their full potential.