Odisha’s Dinesh K. Patnaik named India’s High Commissioner to Canada

Senior diplomat Dinesh K. Patnaik, a native of Odisha, has been appointed as India’s next High Commissioner to Canada. A 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Patnaik is currently serving as India’s Ambassador to Spain and will soon assume his new role in Ottawa, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced.

Meanwhile, Canada has appointed veteran diplomat Christopher Cooter as its new High Commissioner to India. With over 35 years of diplomatic experience, Cooter most recently served as Canada’s Chargé d’Affaires to Israel and has previously held postings as High Commissioner to several African nations. Earlier in his career, he also served as First Secretary at the Canadian High Commission in India and Nepal.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said the appointment reflects Ottawa’s efforts to deepen diplomatic engagement and bilateral cooperation with New Delhi.

The exchange of High Commissioners comes more than 10 months after India recalled its envoy from Ottawa following tensions sparked by then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s remarks. Relations began improving after Mark Carney assumed office as Canadian Prime Minister. 

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In June this year, Carney invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 Outreach Summit in Kananaskis, where both leaders held what Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri described as a ‘very positive and constructive’ bilateral meeting.

Both sides had then agreed to restore High Commissioners as the first step toward normalizing ties. Patnaik’s appointment marks a significant step in that direction, and also a proud moment for Odisha, from where the seasoned diplomat hails.