The diplomatic row between India and Canada just became uglier. With 41 Canadian diplomats leaving India—to maintain the parity of strength India had asked for—claiming that India has violated the Vienna Convention, it is likely to be a cold winter ahead for the relations between both the countries.
It will mean visa delays as Canada has chosen to shut its centres in Punjab where the bulk of the applicants come from. But what is worse is that the tension has now spilled on further as Washington, Canada’s BFF, has chosen to stand by Ottawa. As has Britain.
India has shrugged off Canada’s claims. According to the MEA statement, India was within her rights to demand parity, under Article 11.1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
“In the absence of specific agreement as to the size of the mission, the receiving State may require that the size of a mission be kept within limits considered by it to be reasonable and normal, having regard to circumstances and conditions in the receiving State and to the needs of the particular mission the Vienna Convention postulates.”
The US choosing to call out India—being aware of India’s sensitivity on the issue—is an indicator at where the red lines are for Washington.
“We are concerned by the departure of Canadian diplomats from India….Resolving differences requires diplomats on the ground. We have urged India not to insist upon reduction in Canada’s diplomatic presence and to cooperate in the ongoing Canadian investigation,’’ a press statement by Matthew Miller, State Department spokesperson said.
“We expect India to uphold its obligation under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” he said.
This is not likely to go down well with the South Block.
In a rather strong statement, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “Resolving differences requires communication and diplomats in respective capitals. We do not agree with the decisions taken by the Indian government that have resulted in a number of Canadian diplomats departing India. We expect all states to uphold their obligations under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The unilateral removal of the privileges and immunities that provide for the safety and security of diplomats is not consistent with the principles or the effective functioning of the Vienna Convention. We continue to encourage India to engage with Canada on its independent investigation into the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.”
The statement from the UK comes at a time when the Free Trade Agreement deal is close to being finalized and there is a buzz that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will visit India to sign the deal. And it is no secret that the UK has been courting India for this deal.
How India deals with the ganging up of the traditional allies remains to be seen. But at the moment, this is proving to be a diplomatic pickle—both for India, as well as the US, who will be keen to ensure that they don’t get caught up in this mess too much.
India and Canada were in “discussions on ongoing modalities’’ on how to achieve staff parity, as the ministry of external affairs had stated.
But Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joly claimed that India “formally conveyed its plan to unilaterally remove diplomatic immunities" for more than 40 diplomats in Delhi.
"This means 41 Canadian diplomats and their 42 dependents were in danger of having immunity stripped on an arbitrary date, and this would put their personal safety at risk," she has been reported as saying at a press conference.