New Delhi, Nov. 18 : Joseph Caron has assumed charge as Canada''s new High Commissioner to India. High Commissioner Caron presented his credentials to President Pratibha Patil on November 10. He will present his credentials as Canada’s Ambassador to Nepal on November 21 in Kathmandu.

On the occasion of the presentation, Caron stated, “I am pleased to see the strength of the bilateral relationship and the people-to-people ties arising from our history of immigration, and welcome future cooperation between Canada and India. It is in this spirit that I officially undertake my role as Canada’s High Commissioner to India.”

Caron graduated in political science from the University of Ottawa and joined the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service in 1972, serving first in Saigon and then in Ankara.

In 1975, he began Japanese language studies, and subsequently served three times at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. During the 1980s, he undertook private-sector assignments involving Japan, China, Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan.

In Ottawa, he has held several positions related to Asian and international economic affairs, including G-8 summitry. In 1998, he became Assistant Deputy Minister for Asia Pacific and Africa. He also served as Canada’s senior official for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

These responsibilities included working extensively on Canada-India relations. From 2001 to 2005, Caron served as Canada’s Ambassador to China, with concurrent accreditation to North Korea and Mongolia.

He then became Ambassador to Japan from 2005 to 2008. In 2008, Caron was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Meiji Gakuin University.

Caron arrived in India in August 2008 and is concurrently accredited to Nepal and the Kingdom of Bhutan. Caron is married to Kumru Caron and they have three children.

The Canadian High Commission in New Delhi is Canada’s larges mission abroad. Canada also has consulates and trade offices in Mumbai, Chandigarh, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkata. In 2007, Canada-India bilateral trade was worth 3.73 billion Canadian dollars. (ANI)