With the appointment of senior diplomat Jayant Khobragade (IFS:1995) as India’s next Ambassador to Spain, speculation is gaining momentum over Dinesh K Patnaik’s (IFS:1990) next assignment. Patnaik, who has been serving in Madrid since November 2021, has been relieved of his post, but his new role is yet to be officially announced.
According to sources, Patnaik is likely to be appointed as New Delhi’s next High Commissioner to Canada. The move to name his successor in Spain is being seen in that context, as the government prepares for a significant diplomatic reshuffle.
People familiar with the matter said that the process for Patnaik’s likely appointment began soon after the recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The two leaders held talks on June 18 on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Alberta.
In their first bilateral meeting, Modi and Carney agreed on the “early return of high commissioners to each other’s capitals” as part of “calibrated” and “constructive steps” to restore stability in the strained India-Canada relationship. Tensions had escalated last year after Ottawa alleged Indian involvement in the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
A senior diplomat with over 30 years of experience, Patnaik has served in Indian missions in Beijing, Dhaka, Vienna, and Geneva. He has been India’s ambassador to Morocco and Cambodia, deputy high commissioner in London, and Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).