"It's one step up in engagement...": Former diplomat Navtej Sarna on India-Canada envoy appointments

New Delhi [India], August 30 (ANI): Former Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna, welcomed the appointment of envoys by India and Canada, calling it a step towards normal diplomatic engagement.

"That's moving towards some kind of normal engagement," Sarna told ANI.

He highlighted the importance of having dedicated envoys, adding, "Appointment of High Commissioners is a good thing because then you have people who can be there and analyse and engage properly."

Sarna described the move as an upgrade in diplomatic interactions, saying, "So, it's one step up in the engagement. It doesn't mean that you are giving up any of your basic issues or problems."

He further emphasised the signalling effect of the appointments, stating, "But it's a diplomatic signal that you are willing to engage."

Reflecting a similar perspective, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on Thursday welcomed the appointment of a new High Commissioner to India, noting that it signifies Canada's gradual efforts to strengthen diplomatic engagement and deepen cooperation with New Delhi.

"The appointment of a new High Commissioner reflects Canada's step-by-step approach to deepening diplomatic engagement and advancing bilateral cooperation with India," Anita Anand wrote on X.

Calling it a significant step forward, she added, "This is an important development toward restoring services for Canadians while strengthening the bilateral relationship to support Canada's economy."

Her remarks coincided with the announcement by India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) that senior diplomat Dinesh K Patnaik, a 1990-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Canada.

Patnaik has been serving as India's Ambassador to Spain since November 2021 and is expected to take up his new assignment shortly, the MEA said in a statement.

His appointment comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to normalise diplomatic relations, nearly nine months after India withdrew its High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and several senior diplomats amid escalating bilateral tensions.

In June, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had confirmed that both countries were working toward reinstating High Commissioners in each other's capitals.

Diplomatic ties soured sharply last year after then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged "credible allegations" of Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023, claims New Delhi strongly rejected as "absurd" and "motivated."

In response, India recalled six diplomats, including its High Commissioner, and expelled six Canadian diplomats.

Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023.

With Mark Carney now serving as the Canadian Prime Minister after Trudeau's resignation, both countries appear to be taking steps to improve ties. According to MEA, PM Modi and PM Carney had a "key meeting" at the G7 Summit where they discussed ways to restore and strengthen the bilateral relationship. (ANI)

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