Who Is Dinesh K Patnaik, Taking Charge As India’s New High Commissioner To Canada?

Last Updated:August 28, 2025, 18:56 IST

Patnaik, a career diplomat, also served as deputy ambassador to the UK and was serving until recently as ambassador to Spain.

Soon-to-be-High Commissioner to India, Dinesh K. Patnaik addresses an event in Spain, while serving as an envoy there. (IMAGE: X)

Dinesh K. Patnaik on Thursday was appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Canada. His appointment comes as ties remain frosty between New Delhi and Ottawa over Ottawa’s lack of inaction towards separatist Khalistani elements and its unfounded allegations that India killed one of its citizens involved in the separatism.

Patnaik was serving as the ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain. The 1990 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, according to News18 Hindi is among India’s senior and experienced diplomats.

The relations between India and Canada started straining after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged without proof that Indian government eliminated Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The Odisha-born IFS officer’s appointment follows the exit of former High Commissioner of India to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma, and other senior diplomats stationed in Canada last year in October after the Trudeau administration declared them as ‘Persons of Interest’ in an ongoing investigation.

The IIM-Kolkata graduate served as deputy ambassador to the UK and represented India in various missions like Russia, Myanmar and the United Nations. He has also served as Director of Policy Planning and Research Division in the Ministry of External Affairs, the News18 Hindi report.

Shankhyaneel Sarkar

Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev...Read More

Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev...

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August 28, 2025, 18:56 IST

News world Who Is Dinesh K Patnaik, Taking Charge As India’s New High Commissioner To Canada?

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