After a tense period, marked by diplomatic expulsions and strained relations, India has appointed Dinesh K. Patnaik as its new High Commissioner to Canada. This move comes nearly nine months after India withdrew its High Commissioner amidst escalating tensions. The appointment coincides with Canada's selection of Christopher Cooter as its envoy to India, signaling a mutual effort to mend strained ties.

The relationship between India and Canada experienced a significant downturn in 2023 when then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated Khalistani terrorist, in British Columbia. India vehemently denied these allegations, leading to a series of diplomatic expulsions and a freeze in relations. India withdrew its High Commissioner, Sanjay Kumar Verma, and other senior diplomats from Ottawa.

Dinesh K. Patnaik, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is currently serving as India's Ambassador to Spain. He is expected to take up his new assignment in Ottawa shortly. Patnaik brings over 30 years of experience to the role, having served in various missions including Geneva, Dhaka, Beijing, and Vienna. He also has experience working in divisions focusing on Africa, Europe, the UN, and external publicity within the Ministry of External Affairs. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Delhi University and Master's degrees from IIM Calcutta and Vienna in International Relations. He has also served as an Ambassador of Spain, Cambodia and Morocco.

On the Canadian side, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced the appointment of Christopher Cooter as the new High Commissioner to India. Cooter is a veteran diplomat with 35 years of experience, including postings in Israel, South Africa, and a previous assignment in New Delhi 25 years ago. Anand described Cooter's appointment as a "step-by-step approach to deepening diplomatic engagement and advancing bilateral cooperation with India".

The appointments of new High Commissioners by both countries follow a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada. This suggests a concerted effort to restore and strengthen the bilateral relationship.

Despite the recent tensions, Canada and India share deep people-to-people ties and a long history of diplomatic relations, formally designated as a "Strategic Partnership" in 2018. In 2024, India was Canada's seventh-largest goods and services trading partner, with two-way trade reaching $30.9 billion. Canada's merchandise exports to India included vegetables, mineral fuels and oils, and wood pulp. Canada's merchandise imports from India consisted of pharmaceutical products, machinery, and electronics. Furthermore, India is Canada's largest source country for immigration, with 392,810 study permit holders in 2024. As of 2021, there are over 1.8 million Canadians of Indian origin.

Both countries also have a record of collaboration on science, technology, and innovation. This relationship is supported by the Canada-India Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement signed in 2005. The appointment of new envoys signals a positive step towards normalizing relations between India and Canada after a challenging period.