August 28, 2025
RED FM News Desk
Canada and India have named new high commissioners, 10 months after the two countries withdrew their top diplomats. Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Anita Anand, announced the appointment of Christopher Cooter as the new High Commissioner to India.
Cooter brings 35 years of diplomatic experience to the role, including previous postings in Israel and South Africa. He was also stationed in New Delhi 25 years ago.
Meanwhile, the Government of India has appointed Dinesh K. Patnaik, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, as India’s next High Commissioner to Canada. Patnaik is currently serving as India’s Ambassador to Spain. According to a notification from the Ministry of External Affairs, Patnaik will soon take charge as India’s High Commissioner to Canada.
Relations between Canada and India have been strained since Canadian police accused India of involvement in the June 2023 assassination of a Sikh activist in Surrey. In October 2024, India decided to withdraw its diplomats from Canada after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made serious allegations against New Delhi following the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Tensions began to ease in June when Prime Minister Mark Carney invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 summit in Alberta, and both countries agreed to restore their top diplomats.
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