Bhubaneswar: Veteran diplomat Dinesh K Patnaik has been appointed as India’s next High Commissioner to Canada, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday. A 1990-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service, Patnaik is currently serving as Ambassador to Spain and will soon take charge of his new assignment.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi extended his congratulations to Patnaik and wished him success in his new role. The Chief Minister said he was confident that the diplomat would continue to bring pride and recognition to both Odisha and the country.
In a brief statement, the MEA said, “Dinesh K. Patnaik, presently Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Canada. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly.”
Patnaik is regarded as one of India’s most seasoned diplomats, with more than 25 years of experience in key assignments at home and abroad. He has served in Indian missions in Geneva, Dhaka, Beijing, and Vienna, while also working in divisions dealing with Africa, Europe (West), the United Nations, and external publicity at the ministry.
He has earlier been India’s Ambassador to Cambodia and Morocco and also headed the Indian Council for Cultural Relations as Director-General. Between 2016 and 2018, he was posted in the United Kingdom as Deputy High Commissioner, where he handled sensitive issues, including the Khalistan problem within the Indian diaspora. A similar challenge is expected to be part of his responsibilities in Canada, where India’s diplomatic engagement has faced increasing complexities in recent years.
