Canada Row: America expressed concern over diplomats leaving India, and said- the presence of a mission is necessary to resolve the dispute

America has expressed concern over Canadian diplomats leaving India. The US State Department said in a statement on Friday that the US expects India to abide by its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that we are concerned about Canadian diplomats leaving India. We have urged the Indian government not to emphasize Canada's lack of diplomatic presence and to cooperate with the Canadian investigation.

State Department official Miller said that the presence of diplomats in the concerned country is necessary to resolve differences. We expect India to adhere to its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, including the privileges afforded to accredited officials of Canadian diplomatic missions.

Canada recalls 41 of its diplomats on India's warning

Canada has had to recall 41 of its 62 diplomats and their families following India's tough stance in the ongoing controversy over the killing of pro-Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Now there will be only 21 diplomats in the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi. However, the number of Canadian diplomats was to be reduced by October 10. Canada tried to convince India in private talks, but things did not work out. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said this action has made normal life difficult for millions of people in India and Canada.

At the same time, Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie said in Ottawa, that all types of personal services related to visas are being stopped in the consulates of Chandigarh, Mumbai, and Bangalore. All Canadian employees of these embassies have been sent to the Delhi High Commission because there is a severe shortage of staff there. Jolie alleged India's action was a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Canada does not want to escalate the matter further, so retaliatory action will not be taken. Jolie said there was a fear of danger to diplomats and their families due to the end of India's diplomatic immunity. Therefore, to ensure their safe evacuation, we evacuated them from India before October 20 and deployed them in different missions.

India bluntly...did not violate any rule

Responding to Canada's allegation of violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday bluntly said that India has not violated any international rule by talking about parity in diplomatic presence in Delhi and Ottawa. The Ministry of External Affairs said India's demand to implement equality of diplomatic competence is in line with Article 11.1 of the Vienna Convention. The high number of Canadian diplomats in India and continued interference in our internal affairs have led to calls for ‘parity’ in diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Ottawa.

There will be a delay in granting a visa

Canada's Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Affairs, Mark Miller, said that the sourness of relations between the two countries due to diplomatic tension will have some impact. Canada will continue to accept temporary and permanent resident applications from India, but visa applications will now take longer than before. After the return of diplomats, the number of employees handling immigration and visa work has reduced from 27 to just five. Currently, 16.89 lakh Indians live in Canada.

Also Read: Canada India Row: Canada removed 41 diplomats from India, IRCC said - there will be a slowdown in Indian visa applications