India–Canada research ties set for new push in education, clean energy: USask vice president

Q: Prime Minister Mark Carney has identified Artificial Intelligence, clean energy and sustainable agriculture as priority areas. Is your university actively pursuing research partnerships with India in these sectors or related fields?

Dr Baljit Singh: The Prime Minister’s visit comes after a challenging phase in India–Canada relations and signals renewed intent to collaborate. Several agreements were signed during the visit. One major development for us is the agreement between the Governments of Canada and India to establish an Indo-Canadian Joint Pulse Protein Centre of Excellence.

India has nominated the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management as its lead institution, while the University of Saskatchewan has been designated Canada’s co-chair for the task force that will operationalise the centre.

The centre will focus on plant protein research, technology development, and commercialisation, drawing on Saskatchewan’s strengths in pulse production and India’s growing demand for plant-based proteins. It will also support joint MSc and PhD training, with participation from universities, government, and industry.

Q: What about clean energy?

Dr Singh: The 2.6-billion-dollar uranium supply agreement with Cameco Corporation is a major outcome of the visit. The Cameco agreement, covering uranium supply for the next five to six years, is significant for Saskatchewan and reflects Canada’s energy strengths.

While it is a commercial arrangement, it complements the university’s existing collaboration with Cameco in nuclear fuel cycle research and energy innovation. As bilateral engagement strengthens, there is potential to deepen cooperation with Indian institutions in clean nuclear technologies and critical minerals research.

Q: With Canada announcing 200 fully funded scholarships at the University of Toronto for Indian students, along with Indo-Pacific scholarships that will send Canadian students to India, how does your institution plan to strengthen two-way student and faculty mobility over the next two to three years?

Dr Singh: The University of Saskatchewan has been engaged with India since 1994. In the past 15 years, we have run substantial programmes in public health and teacher education.

Mobility has been two-way. Canadian students from Saskatchewan have studied and trained at institutions such as Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, the National Institute of Technology Warangal, and the National Institute of Technology Jaipur.

We have funded joint PhD supervision arrangements with select Indian institutions, and this collaboration is set to accelerate. This week, we held a Saskatchewan–India Innovation Symposium in Delhi, attended by about a dozen distinguished vice chancellors from leading Indian institutions, along with industry and government representatives, to chart the next phase of engagement.

Q: Several Canadian universities have unveiled physical campuses in India. Are you considering similar models?

Dr Singh: We are not planning to establish a standalone campus in India. Instead, we are exploring joint curriculum delivery, dual-degree programmes, and collaborative research centres with Indian partners.

The newly announced pulse protein centre is one example of such collaboration. We believe partnering with strong Indian universities will allow us to combine the best of both systems without duplicating infrastructure.

Q: The University of Saskatchewan has a significant community of Indian students and faculty. Could you share some details?

Dr Singh:  Saskatchewan has a vibrant Indo-Canadian academic community. At the university, Indian-origin professors such as Ajay Dalai, Venkatesh Meda, Jaspall Singh, and the late Madan Gupta have made notable contributions in engineering, biomedical sciences, veterinary medicine, and agriculture.

Graduate students from India form a substantial cohort and contribute to research productivity, innovation, and the province’s broader economic development. The Punjabi community in Saskatchewan is particularly prominent and well integrated into academic and civic life.

Q: You are an alumnus of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). How did your academic journey take you from Punjab to Saskatchewan?

Dr Singh:  PAU  provided me with a strong academic foundation. Although it was relatively small during my student days, it has produced outstanding global leaders, including noted rice breeder Gurdev Singh Khush.

After graduating, I pursued doctoral studies and postdoctoral training in the United States at Texas A&M University and Columbia University. I later joined the University of Saskatchewan and, apart from serving five years as a dean at the University of Calgary, Saskatchewan has been my professional home.

My wife, Sarbjit, our son, Pahul, and I are proud to call Saskatchewan home. In many ways, it resembles Punjab in its agricultural character and strong sense of community.

My journey from Punjab to Saskatchewan has shaped my conviction that deeper academic and research partnerships between India and Canada can deliver tangible benefits for the world. India’s innovation ecosystem is expanding rapidly, with significant government investment in science and technology. With strong political signalling from PM Modi and PM Carney and active engagement by Canada’s Minister of International Trade and Economic Development, Maninder Singh Sidhu, the environment for expanded academic and research partnerships is very favourable.