India and Canada Rebuilding Diplomatic Relations as S Jaishankar Meets Canadian Foreign Minister

Dinesh Patnaik, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, has been appointed as India's new High Commissioner to Canada.

NEW YORK:

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently met with Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand in New York, describing the appointment of envoys to Delhi and Ottawa as a "welcome" step in rebuilding diplomatic relations between the two nations.

"A good meeting with FM @AnitaAnandMP of Canada this morning in New York," S Jaishankar shared on X. "The appointment of High Commissioners is welcome as we rebuild ties. Discussed further steps in that regard today. Look forward to welcoming FM Anand in India."

India announced in August that Dinesh Patnaik would serve as the country's next High Commissioner to Canada. Last week, Patnaik officially presented his credentials to Canada's Governor General Mary Simon and engaged in discussions about strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

The Indian mission in Canada reported on X: "High Commissioner @DineshKPatnaik presented Letter of Credence to H.E. The Right Honourable Mary Simon, the Governor General of Canada, followed by a Tete-a-tete. They exchanged views on strengthening India-Canada bilateral relations."

Last month, both India and Canada appointed envoys to each other's capitals, indicating efforts to repair diplomatic ties that had deteriorated significantly following the killing of a Sikh separatist in 2023.

Earlier in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held discussions with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the G7 summit at Kananaskis, Canada. During this meeting, both leaders agreed to pursue "constructive" steps to restore stability in India-Canada relations, including the prompt return of envoys to each other's capitals.

The diplomatic relationship between India and Canada had reached an all-time low following a diplomatic dispute over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Relations deteriorated further after then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's 2023 allegations suggesting a potential Indian connection to Nijjar's death.

In October last year, India recalled its high commissioner and five other diplomats after Ottawa attempted to link them to the Nijjar case. India also expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats in response.

However, Liberal Party leader Carney's victory in the parliamentary election in April has helped initiate the process of resetting diplomatic relations between the two countries.