The Indian government has appointed Dinesh K Patnaik, an experienced diplomat from the 1990 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), as its next High Commissioner to Canada. Patnaik is currently serving as India’s Ambassador to Spain since November 2021 and will soon transition to his new position. This appointment is part of a broader effort by India and Canada to mend their diplomatic ties, which strained significantly last year. India had previously withdrawn its High Commissioner and several diplomats from Canada amidst rising tensions. Both nations are now actively pursuing the re-establishment of High Commissioners in their respective capitals. During a meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney emphasized the importance of their bilateral relationship and agreed on actions to stabilize it. Diplomatic tensions arose following claims of Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023, which India denied. As a consequence, India recalled and expelled diplomats from both countries. With the leadership change in Canada, both nations are working on improving their relationship, as demonstrated by discussions at the G7 Summit focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation.
Dinesh K Patnaik to Serve as India’s High Commissioner to Canada as Relations Warm
