Dinesh Patnaik and Christopher Cooter Appointed as Envoys
In a major diplomatic development aimed at normalizing relations, the Government of India has appointed seasoned diplomat Dinesh K Patnaik, a 1990-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), as the country’s next High Commissioner to Canada.
This appointment represents a crucial step toward repairing bilateral ties that had deteriorated sharply in 2023 following the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
Patnaik, who currently serves as India’s Ambassador to Spain, will shortly assume charge at the Indian High Commission in Ottawa, according to an official announcement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Filling a Diplomatic Vacuum After Nearly a Year
This diplomatic breakthrough comes after more than ten months without high-level representation between India and Canada. India had withdrawn its envoy Sanjay Verma in October 2024, following allegations by then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Indian government agents were involved in Nijjar’s killing in Surrey, British Columbia.
India firmly dismissed these accusations as “absurd.” In the aftermath, both countries downgraded diplomatic relations, expelled several diplomats, and suspended negotiations on a trade agreement.
The latest appointments now signal a mutual effort to restore normalcy. Canada has named Christopher Cooter as its new High Commissioner to India, replacing Cameron MacKay, who departed in the summer of 2024.
Who Is Dinesh K Patnaik?
Dinesh K Patnaik is recognized as one of India’s most experienced diplomats, with a distinguished career spanning over three decades in diverse foreign policy roles.
He graduated from Delhi University, pursued post-graduate studies at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta, and later earned a Master’s degree in International Relations from Vienna.
His extensive diplomatic service includes ambassadorial postings in Cambodia, Morocco, and most recently Spain.
He has also served in Indian missions in Beijing, Dhaka, Geneva, and Vienna, as well as in MEA divisions dealing with Africa, Europe (West), the United Nations, and external publicity.
A particularly notable chapter in his career was his tenure as Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (2016–2018), where he dealt extensively with Khalistan-related issues—an experience that is expected to prove especially valuable in his forthcoming role in Canada.
