Improvement in India-Canada relations: Appointment of new High Commissioner

New Delhi – India has appointed Dinesh K. Patnaik, the Indian Foreign Service Officer and currently Ambassador to Spain, as the new High Commissioner to Canada. Canada has appointed veteran Ambassador Christopher Cooter as its High Commissioner to India. Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had accused India of being involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Nijjar. This had strained relations between the two countries. Due to this, India had recalled its High Commissioner there. It is being said that now that India has appointed a High Commissioner in Canada, relations between the two countries are improving.

1. The post of High Commissioner in Canada has been vacant since October 2024. India’s former ambassador to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, was recalled from Ottawa due to rising tensions.

2. The term of Canada’s High Commissioner to India, Cameron MacKay, ended in March 2022. The post had been vacant since then.

3. At the G-7 Summit in Canada, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney agreed to reappoint the High Commissioner as a first step towards normalizing relations between the two countries.

4. It is expected that the two countries will now gradually resume regular business facilitation and political dialogue.