• Source:JND
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India has named senior diplomat Dinesh K Patnaik as the next High Commissioner to Canada, signalling a step towards stabilising ties between the two countries after a year of strained relations. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday that Patnaik, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, will soon assume charge in Ottawa. “Shri Dinesh K Patnaik (IFS:1990), presently Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Canada. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly,” the MEA said in a statement.

Patnaik brings with him over 30 years of diplomatic experience, having served in key Indian missions abroad. His previous postings include Beijing, Dhaka, Vienna, and Geneva, in addition to serving as Ambassador to Cambodia and Morocco, and Deputy High Commissioner in London.

He also led the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) as Director-General, working on cultural diplomacy and global outreach. According to his professional records, Patnaik has handled important divisions in the MEA covering Africa, West Europe, the United Nations, and external publicity.

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Appointment Amid Tense Ties

The appointment comes more than nine months after India withdrew its previous High Commissioner, Sanjay Kumar Verma, in October 2024. The move followed what New Delhi described as continued “hostility” from then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government.

Relations between the two democracies had reached a low point after Trudeau alleged in the Canadian Parliament that his government had “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the June 2023 killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The Nijjar Controversy

The accusations set off a major diplomatic standoff. Canada expelled several Indian diplomats, labelling them “persons of interest” in its probe into Nijjar’s death. India firmly denied the charges, calling them “absurd” and “politically motivated.” New Delhi also accused Ottawa of harbouring extremist and anti-India elements that posed a threat to its sovereignty.

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The withdrawal of India’s High Commissioner was seen as a strong diplomatic response to the allegations. Since then, the post in Ottawa has remained vacant, limiting official engagement at the highest level.