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The departure of 41 Canadian diplomats from India raised quite a few eyebrows globally. The UK, on one hand, has stated that it disagrees with the Indian government’s decisions, which it believes are behind the diplomats’ exit. It said that the move impacts the effective functioning of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The US State Department on the other hand stressed the importance of resolving differences with the presence of diplomats on the ground.
Withdrawal of Canadian diplomats amid standoff
Canada announced the withdrawal of 41 diplomats, citing an alleged Indian threat to unilaterally revoke their diplomatic status. This move comes amid strained bilateral relations between India
India rejects allegations
In response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly rejected the allegations and any violation of the Vienna Convention related to the departure of Canadian diplomats. The MEA stated that the implementation of diplomatic parity is not a violation of international norms.
UK’s call for diplomatic resolution
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) emphasized that resolving differences requires communication and diplomats in respective capitals. The FCDO expressed its disagreement with the Indian government’s decisions, which led to the departure of Canadian diplomats. It called for upholding obligations under the Vienna Convention and encouraged India to engage with Canada regarding the investigation into Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s death.
US Backs Canada
The US government also supported Canada in the standoff. The US State Department urged the Indian government not to insist on reducing Canada’s diplomatic presence and to cooperate with the ongoing Canadian investigation. It emphasized the importance of having diplomats on the ground to resolve differences.
Background and Allegations
The dispute originated from Prime Minister Trudeau’s statement in the Canadian Parliament linking Indian government agents to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a leader of the Khalistan Tiger Force and a wanted terrorist in India. The MEA rejected these allegations as “absurd and motivated.”
Trudeau expressed frustration over the impact of the situation on people in India and Canada, and Canadian authorities warned of delays in visa processing due to the reduction of employees at the diplomatic mission in India. India cited the need for diplomatic parity due to the state of bilateral relations and Canadian interference in Indian internal affairs.
(With PTI Inputs)
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