NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — India and Canada have taken steps to repair strained ties by naming new high commissioners in each other’s capitals, signaling the first real thaw in relations after nearly two years of tension. India announced the appointment of Dinesh K. Patnaik as its next high commissioner to Canada. Patnaik is currently India’s ambassador to Spain and is expected to take up his new role shortly. For him, this will likely be his final diplomatic posting before retirement.

Canada named Christopher Cooter as its new high commissioner to India. Cooter is a seasoned diplomat with more than three decades of service. He previously served as Canada’s chargé d’affaires to Israel, as high commissioner in South Africa, and as ambassador to Türkiye and several other countries. He also worked in New Delhi between 1998 and 2000.

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand described Cooter’s appointment as a “step-by-step approach” to restoring ties with India. She said the move will help strengthen bilateral relations and support Canada’s economy.

Relations between India and Canada hit their lowest point in 2023 after the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader. Nijjar, who India designated a terrorist in 2020, was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia in June 2023. Months later, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Parliament that Canada had evidence linking Indian agents to Nijjar’s death. The allegation triggered a major diplomatic crisis.

Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, and India responded by expelling an equal number of Canadian officials, including the high commissioner. Both sides also scaled back consular services, creating difficulties for travelers, students, and businesses. India denied the accusations, calling them baseless and politically motivated.

Since taking office, Prime Minister Mark Carney has pushed to renew Canada’s engagement with India. Carney has highlighted India’s growing economy, its importance in global supply chains, and its role as a top source of international students and workers for Canada. Carney and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in Canada earlier this year and agreed to restore senior-level diplomatic posts. The appointment of high commissioners fulfills that pledge.

India’s foreign ministry confirmed that Patnaik’s appointment is part of efforts to “normalize and strengthen ties” with Ottawa. Not everyone in Canada supports the renewed relationship. The Sikh Federation of Canada criticized the move, saying Ottawa has not ensured accountability for Nijjar’s killing.

“This is not diplomacy — it is impunity,” said M. Singh, a spokesperson for the group. “It undermines trust in Canadian institutions and risks entrenching the very networks that Canadian security agencies warn against.”

Canada’s intelligence service echoed those concerns in its June report, warning that India remains a source of foreign interference in Canadian politics and community affairs. Despite the controversy, economic ties between the two countries remain strong. India is Canada’s largest source of foreign students and temporary workers. Canada is also a key supplier of agricultural goods such as lentils and peas to India.

Canadian officials say diversifying trade beyond the United States is a priority. With India’s population and economic growth, the South Asian nation remains an important partner. The timing of the appointments comes just as U.S. President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian imports, creating further pressure on India’s trade relationships. Analysts say closer ties with Canada could help India balance those challenges.

The naming of Patnaik and Cooter is a symbolic but important step toward rebuilding trust. Both diplomats bring decades of experience and will face the task of easing tensions while advancing cooperation in trade, education, and security.

For now, the return of high commissioners signals that India and Canada are ready to move past one of the most difficult chapters in their recent history. Whether the two countries can fully rebuild trust remains to be seen, but both sides appear committed to starting fresh.