The US and the UK have urged the government of India to uphold its obligations under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations after Canada recalled 41 diplomats from the country, said a report.
The development came amid worsening diplomatic ties between the two countries over the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in Vancouver in June. After the Delhi G20 summit in September, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that India had a hand in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen listed as a ‘designated terrorist’ by India.
Both the United States and the United Kingdom have also urged India not to compel Canada to reduce its diplomatic presence in India and to collaborate with Canada in the investigation into the murder.
India has described the allegation about its involvement in the Nijjar killing as ‘absurd’. India has also rejected allegations that it violated any international law in telling Canada to recall diplomats and added that it wanted Canada to reduce its number of diplomats in India to match to equal those that the country has in Canada.
A statement by the government of India read: “Their continued interference in our internal affairs warrants a parity in mutual diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Ottawa.”
The US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the United States is “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.”
The department pointed out that “resolving differences requires diplomats on the ground” and said it expected “India to uphold its obligations under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.”
The spokesperson of Britain’s Foreign Office said: “We do not agree with the decisions taken by the Indian government that have resulted in a number of Canadian diplomats departing India.”
Also, Britain’s Foreign Office cited the Vienna Convention and said: “The unilateral removal of the privileges and immunities that provide for the safety and security of diplomats is not consistent with the principles of the effective functioning of the Vienna Convention.”
The statements by the United States and the United Kingdom came hours after Canada disclosed it was temporarily suspending in-person operations at consulates in many Indian cities, which would lead to delays in visa processing.
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