Prime Minister Carney used the Évian summit to advance three defence files: a made-in-Canada radio procurement for Poland, M-346 trainer negotiations with Italy and new security agreements with Germany and India.
Prime Minister Mark Carney used the 2026 G7 Leaders’ Summit in Évian, France, to advance a set of defence and security commitments that extend Canada’s industrial reach into European procurement and deepen bilateral ties with key partners.
Marconi and the SAFE initiative
The most concrete defence outcome was a new procurement for Montréal-based Marconi Technologies to build ORION tactical radios for the Polish Cyber Command.
It is the first procurement Canada has secured through the European Union’s Security Action for Europe initiative since becoming SAFE’s first non-European member in February 2026.
Marconi will draw on nearly 100 Canadian suppliers to produce the radios, with deliveries expected to begin later this year and continue through 2030.
M-346 trainer negotiations
Canada and Italy announced the launch of negotiations for Canada’s purchase of M-346 advanced jet trainers designed and produced by Leonardo.
The aircraft would give the Royal Canadian Air Force a modern platform for advanced pilot training and support the development of a sovereign training capability.
The negotiations come as Canada develops its Future Fighter Lead-In Training program, which is intended to prepare pilots for the transition to the CF-35A. CAE was selected as the program’s strategic partner in 2025 and is also involved in Italy’s International Flight Training School, which uses the M-346.
Security agreements with Germany and India
Canada concluded negotiations for a General Security of Information Agreement with Germany and agreed to formally launch negotiations for a similar agreement with India.
The agreements are intended to strengthen defence and industrial cooperation and open additional procurement opportunities for Canadian companies by establishing rules for exchanging and protecting classified information.
Canada signed a GSOIA with France on June 12 during a bilateral visit to Paris ahead of the summit.
Russia sanctions
On the margins of the summit, Carney announced sanctions targeting 162 individuals, entities and vessels connected to Russia’s shadow fleet, energy revenues, defence industrial base and disinformation networks.
Since 2014, Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 3,400 individuals and entities and more than 600 vessels connected to Russia’s actions against Ukraine.
Critical minerals
Canada also used the summit to advance its critical minerals agenda, announcing 13 partnerships and initiatives involving more than eight countries through the Critical Minerals Resilience and Production Alliance.
The alliance, launched during Canada’s 2025 G7 presidency and expanded at Évian, is intended to diversify supply, reduce market concentration and attract investment.
The government said the new partnerships are expected to unlock more than $5 billion in capital investment across the Canadian critical minerals value chain. France, Germany, Italy and the Republic of Korea also intend to work with Canada on critical minerals stockpiling.
The broader picture
The summit outcomes reflect Canada’s push to diversify its defence industrial relationships beyond the United States.
The Marconi procurement demonstrates how Canadian companies can access European defence spending through SAFE. The GSOIAs with France, Germany and India create pathways for deeper industrial cooperation. The M-346 negotiations, if concluded, would anchor a key part of Canada’s future fighter-training system to Italian aerospace.
“In an uncertain world, Canada is a pivotal, powerful, and purposeful force for good,” Carney said. “At the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Évian, we secured new partnerships to build energy projects in Canada, new agreements to make it easier for our businesses to sell abroad, and new deals to equip our Canadian Armed Forces with the hardware they need.”
