Dinesh K Patnaik likely to be India’s next high commissioner to Canada

Seasoned diplomat Dinesh K Patnaik is likely to be appointed as India’s new high commissioner to Canada with both sides looking at rebuilding bilateral ties that came under severe strain following the killing of a Sikh separatist in 2023, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

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Patnaik, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is currently serving as India’s ambassador to Spain.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on Tuesday agreed to pursue “constructive” steps to restore stability in India-Canada ties including the early return of envoys to each other’s capitals.

Ties between India and Canada plummeted to an all-time low following a diplomatic spat over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The people cited above said Patnaik is likely to be succeeded in Spain by Jayant Khobragade.

Khobragade is currently serving as India’s ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

In their meeting on the sidelines of G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Modi and Carney focused on repairing the frosty bilateral ties.

The India-Canada relations hit rock bottom following then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in 2023 of a potential Indian link to the killing of Nijjar.

In October last year, India recalled its high commissioner and five other diplomats after Ottawa attempted to link them to the Nijjar case.

India also expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats.

However, Liberal Party leader Carney’s victory in the parliamentary election in April triggered hopes for reset of the relationship.