The Indian Panorama

Tag: Dinesh K Patnaik

  • Indian Consulate hosts India-Canada AI Dialogue 2026 ahead of India AI Impact Summit

    Indian Consulate hosts India-Canada AI Dialogue 2026 ahead of India AI Impact Summit

    TORONTO (TIP): The Consulate General of India in Toronto hosted the ‘India-Canada AI Dialogue 2026’ in partnership with the University of Waterloo, Canada India Tech Council, and Zoho Inc, as a precursor to one of the biggest AI Summits in Global South – the ‘India AI Impact Summit 2026’.

    A Panel discussion.

    The event gathered over 600 leaders from industry, academia, and government to advance bilateral AI collaboration, focusing on responsible, ethical, and impact-driven technology ahead of the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026.

    Another Panel Discussion

    Honorable Evan Solomon (Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, Canada) was the Keynote Speaker: The high level dialogue was addressed, among others, by Mr. Dinesh K. Patnaik (High Commissioner of India to Canada), Mr. Kapidhwaja Pratap Singh (Acting Consul General of India in Toronto), Honorable Victor Fedeli (Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation & Trade, Ontario), Prof. Vivek Goel (President & VC, University of Waterloo) and several distinguished speakers and leaders across the AI ecosystem.

    Yet another panel discussion.

    Ontario Premier Doug Ford sent a message that framed the dialogue within a broader relationship across trade, investment and research.
    “India and Canada share a deep and 1 longstanding partnership, one built on robust trade and investment, people-to-people ties and research partnerships in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence,” said Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, Canada.

    A view of the gathering

    Ford also addressed the consulate’s convening role in Toronto.
    “Many thanks to the Consulate General of India in Toronto for convening this important gathering and for its continued leadership in fostering collaboration between our jurisdictions,” said Ford.

    The discussions focused on ethical, inclusive AI for societal benefit, with potential partnerships in MedTech, logistics, and operations, as highlighted by Aliza Lakhani and LinkedIn users.

    Another view of the gathering.

    The event aimed to bridge the Canadian research ecosystem with India’s data scale to drive AI innovation.

    The organizers said the dialogue set out themes for continued bilateral work and that the Canadian delegation expected to travel to the New Delhi summit and co-chair a working group on science.
    (Based on a Press Release issued by the Indian Consulate General in Toronto)

  • Canadian envoy presents credentials to Murmu, year after diplomatic row

    Canadian envoy presents credentials to Murmu, year after diplomatic row

    NEW DELHI (TIP): President Droupadi Murmu on Friday, October 3, accepted credentials from Canadian High Commissioner Christopher Cooter, who has taken charge of the diplomatic post nearly a year after bilateral ties broke down over the allegations of Indian links in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

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

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney in June this year agreed to pursue “constructive” steps to restore stability in India-Canada ties, including the early return of envoys to each other’s capitals.
    Following this, both countries appointed envoys to each other’s capitals in August, signaling their efforts to mend ties. While India named seasoned diplomat Dinesh K Patnaik as the next high commissioner to Ottawa, Canada appointed Cooter as its new envoy to New Delhi.

    Patnaik presented his credentials to Canada’s Governor General Mary Simon on September 25.

    Cooter has 35 years of diplomatic experience, having served most recently as Canada’s charge d’affaires to Israel and as Canada’s high commissioner to South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Mauritius and Madagascar. He also served as first secretary at the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi from 1998 to 2000.
    (Source: PTI)

  • India, Canada name envoys, signal end of diplomatic spat

    India, Canada name envoys, signal end of diplomatic spat

    NEW DELHI / OTTAWA (TIP): In a move signaling normalization of diplomatic relations that were scuttled by the spat over the murder of a pro-Khalistan activist in 2023 in British Columbia, Canada and India on Thursday, August 28, 2025, announced the appointment of High Commissioners. The move came around two-and-a-half months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, where both leaders agreed to appoint envoys and upgrade ties.

    Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand said that Christopher Cooter, a career foreign service officer with 35 years of diplomatic experience, will be the new High Commissioner of Canada to India. Hours later, the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi announced that Dinesh K. Patnaik of the 1990 Indian Foreign Service cadre will take up charge of the High Commissioner of India to Canada “shortly”. Mr. Patnaik is currently the Indian ambassador to Spain.

    “The appointment of a new High Commissioner reflects Canada’s step-by-step approach to deepening diplomatic engagement and advancing bilateral cooperation with India. This appointment is an important development toward restoring services for Canadians while strengthening the bilateral relationship to support Canada’s economy,” said Ms. Anand on Thursday.

    India and Canada engaged in a tit-for-tat diplomatic spat after relations deteriorated over Canadian authorities blaming Indian agents for the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, on June 18, 2023. India on October 14, 2024, withdrew its High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and other senior diplomats stationed in Canada’s capital Ottawa. Before that, last September, India had expelled Canada’s High Commissioner Cameron MacKay.

    In January 2025, Liberal Party’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who had made dramatic allegations in the Canadian parliament in September 2023, about India’s alleged involvement in the killing of Nijjar, resigned in the backdrop of increased political uncertainty at home. Despite facing setbacks earlier, the Liberal Party led by Trudeau’s successor Mr. Carney won the election in April defeating conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. A beginning towards restoring the relationship was made on May 25 when External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with Ms. Anand and conveyed his best wishes for a successful tenure ahead. This was followed by Prime Minister Modi’s arrival in Kananaskis on June 16 for the G7 summit.

  • Dinesh K Patnaik likely to be India’s next high commissioner to Canada

    Dinesh K Patnaik likely to be India’s next high commissioner to Canada

    NEW YORK (TIP): Seasoned diplomat Dinesh K Patnaik is likely to be appointed as India’s new high commissioner to Canada with both sides looking at rebuilding bilateral ties that came under severe strain following the killing of a Sikh separatist in 2023, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday, June 19.

    Patnaik, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is currently serving as India’s ambassador to Spain. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on Tuesday, June 17, agreed to pursue “constructive” steps to restore stability in India-Canada ties including the early return of envoys to each other’s capitals.

    Ties between India and Canada plummeted to an all-time low following a diplomatic spat over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The people cited above said Patnaik is likely to be succeeded in Spain by Jayant Khobragade. Khobragade is currently serving as India’s ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In their meeting on the sidelines of G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Modi and Carney focused on repairing the frosty bilateral ties.

    The India-Canada relations hit rock bottom following then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in 2023 of a potential Indian link to the killing of Nijjar.

    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.

    However, Liberal Party leader Carney’s victory in the parliamentary election in April triggered hopes for reset of the relationship.