The Ministry of External Affairs declared India did not violate the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations by requesting 41 Canadian diplomats to be deported, , in reply Melanie Joly Canadian Foreign Minister, who had accused India of violating diplomatic standards by seeking a decrease in the number of Canadian diplomats posted in India.
Ms. Joly had previously announced that due to the reduced quantity of officials, Canada was required to stop in-person facilities at its ambassies in Mumbai, Chandigarh and Bengaluru. Such facilities will now be obtainable only in the Canadian High Commission in Delhi.
“We have been involved with the Canadian side on this over the last month in directive to work out the particulars and modalities of its application. Our activities in applying this parity are fully consistent with Article 11.1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” the MEA said, in a report.
Accusing the Canadian administration of continuing a much higher number of diplomats in India, the MEA informed that the reduction was required by Canada’s “continued interference” in India’s internal affairs. “We discard any effort to represent the application of parity as a violation of international standards,” the statement mentioned.
A source additionally informed that India’s choice to pursue parity was not unexpected and was conveyed to Canada about a month back, with the deadline of October 10 being prolonged till October 20 subsequently, in talk with the Canadian side.
Previously, the Canadian Foreign Minister established that Ottawa had accepted India’s move to take away diplomatic immunities from 41 Canadian diplomats, together with 42 dependents who were based in Delhi. “A independent withdrawal of diplomatic privileges and immunities is conflicting international law, including the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” Ms. Joly informed the Canadian media.
The action taken by India is totally unreasonable and escalatory. India accredited each and every one of the Canadian diplomats they are now ejecting. And all of those representatives were carrying out their responsibilities in good faith, and to the greater benefit of both countries, she added.
Ms. Joly also declared that the decrease in the number of diplomats would affect the Canadian consular, with in-person services becoming inaccessible at its consulates in Chandigarh, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. “We will now be required to pause momentarily all in-person services at consulates, until further notice. India’s choice will impact levels of facilities to citizens of both countries,” she said.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will continue to receive and process applications from India. However, certain application necessities will need to be finalized locally or on-site in a secure setting. As a result, the decrease in the size of the IRCC team will disturb service standards for residents of India,” the Foreign Minister informed.
An Indian source has claimed that decrease in the number of Canadian diplomats in India in fact did not influence the staff necessity in the Canadian consulates in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Chandigarh saying, “The Canadian decision to conclude operations of their three ambassies in India is one-sided, and not connected to the implementation of parity.”
The association between Canada and India dropped on September 18, when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suspects Indian agents of being behind the June 18 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, spearhead of the Khalistan Tiger Force, who lived in Surrey, British Columbia.
Ms. Joly sworn that the decrease in the number of diplomats would not influence Canada’s investigation in the Nijjar case. India’s verdict will not divert from Canada’s legitimate investigation into the killing of Mr. Nijjar. Canada’s priorities in this matter endure to be the pursuit of the truth, the safety of Canadians, and the protection of our sovereignty, she said.
