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TORONTO: Canada has followed the example of America in appointing an Indian-origin diplomat as its envoy in India.
It is Gujarati-origin Nadir Patel, 44, who will be Canada’s new high commissioner in India.
Patel, who came to Canada with his parents when he was very young, will take the place of Stewart Beck who has just retired from the post in New Delhi.
Making this announcement before leaving for India with a high-level trade delegation, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and International Trade Minister Ed Fast said in a statement, “We are pleased to announce the appointment of Nadir Patel as Canada’s new high commissioner in the Republic of India. Patel brings a wealth of experience and will strengthen even further the Canada-India relationship, including on bilateral trade and international security.”
Patel is accompanying the two ministers to India.
Patel, who studied at Wilfrid Laurier University and then went to New York University and London School of Economics for his MBA, joined the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CBSA). After serving in many positions, he was transferred to the Privy Council Office in Ottawa in 2003. Initially, he served as the chief of staff to the national security advisor to the prime minister. In 2005-2006, he served as senior policy advisor to the clerk of the Privy Council and the secretary to the Cabinet.
Patel was Canada’s consul general in Shanghai from 2009 to 2011. Before his appointment, Patel served as chief financial officer at Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development in Canada.
From Oct 12 to 17, Baird and Fast are in India on a six-day, three-city trade mission to Mumbai, Delhi and Chandigarh to boost trade and investment between the two countries. This will be the first trade mission by Canada to India after Narendra Modi took over as the prime minister in May.
The two ministers, accompanied by Bob Dechert, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice; and Deepak Obhrai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and for International Human Rights, will be New Delhi, on October 13 and 14, to “meet with senior government officials to discuss global and regional security, economic prosperity and other bilateral matters. Baird and his Indian counterpart will engage in the annual discussions around the Canada-India Strategic Dialogue,’’ says a statement by the office of Ed Fast.
The ministers are being accompanied by representatives of 14 Canadian organizations seeking opportunities to export to India.
Obhrai will separately lead a delegation of six Canadian organizations to Jaipur, Hyderabad and Mumbai to discuss regional security, education and trade with Indian leaders.
