US, UK support Canada amid row with India over diplomatic presence

The United States and Britain on Friday (Oct 20) appealed to India not to push Canada for reducing its diplomatic presence in New Delhi and expressed their concern over pull out of 41 diplomats by Ottawa amid the ongoing dispute over the killing of Khalistani terrorist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Canada had alleged that the Indian government was involved in the murder of Nijjar which took place in Vancouver in June. India had refuted the allegations.

“We are concerned by the departure of Canadian diplomats from India, in response to the Indian government’s demand of Canada to significantly reduce its diplomatic presence in India,” said US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

“Resolving differences requires diplomats on the ground. We have urged the Indian government not to insist upon a reduction in Canada’s diplomatic presence and to cooperate in the ongoing Canadian investigation. We expect India to uphold its obligations under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, including with respect to privileges and immunities enjoyed by accredited members of Canada’s diplomatic mission,” the statement added.

Washington had earlier stated that it took the allegations of Canada seriously and had appealed to India to co-operate with Canada in investigating the killing of Nijjar. The analysts have suggested that the US and the UK do not wish to damage relations with India, which they see as a counterbalance to their rival Asian nation China.

However, the statements released by the US State Department and Britain’s Foreign Office on Friday have so far been the most direct criticism made by them over New Delhi on the issue.

“We do not agree with the decisions taken by the Indian government that have resulted in a number of Canadian diplomats departing India,” stated a spokesperson for Britain’s Foreign Office.

Recently, Canada withdrew its 41 diplomats from India after Ottawa was asked by New Delhi to cut down its diplomatic presence following a row over Nijjar’s killing. On Friday, Canada stated that it was suspending in-person operations at consulates in various cities of India for some time and said that there could be delays in visa processing.

Citing the Vienna Convention, Britain’s Foreign Office said, “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.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the decision of India to revoke diplomatic immunity to 41 Canadian diplomats in India was a “violation of the Vienna Convention governing diplomacy” and added that it would impact “millions of Canadians who trace their origins to the Indian subcontinent.”

Watch | Canadian minister dodges direct question on Nijjar killing evidence | WION

While addressing an event in the town of Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area or GTA on Friday (Oct 20), Trudeau stated, “The actions that the Government of India took this week are themselves contrary to international law. The Government of India decided to unilaterally revoke the diplomatic immunity of 40 Canadian diplomats in India. This is a violation of the Vienna Convention governing diplomacy. This is them choosing to contravene a very fundamental principle of international law and diplomacy.”

Further speaking about the Indo-Canadian diaspora, he said, “It also has very real impacts on the millions of people who travel back and forth between India, as students, as family members, for weddings, for businesses, for the growing trade ties between our countries.”

Earlier, the Indian foreign ministry had stated that it had not violated the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.

“The state of our bilateral relations, the much higher number of Canadian diplomats in India, and their continued interference in our internal affairs warrant a parity in mutual diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Ottawa,” said the ministry, in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

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