NEW DELHI: Canada's Foreign Minister, Melanie Joly, recently confirmed the withdrawal of 41 Canadian diplomats and their 42 family members from India. In response to this development, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India issued a strong statement rejecting Canada's allegations and emphasizing the importance of maintaining diplomatic parity in line with international norms.
The MEA's statement, issued on October 19, stated that they had carefully considered Canada's announcement regarding its diplomatic presence in India. The statement stressed the current state of bilateral relations, the substantial number of Canadian diplomats stationed in India, and concerns about their alleged interference in India's internal affairs. It was these factors that, according to India, justified the move towards achieving mutual diplomatic parity between New Delhi and Ottawa.
In the statement issued by MEA, it said, "We have seen the Statement by the Government of Canada on October 19 regarding Canadian diplomatic presence in India. The state of our bilateral relations, the much higher number of Canadian diplomats in India, and their continued interference in our internal affairs warrant parity in mutual diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Ottawa.”
The MEA revealed that it had been in discussions with the Canadian government for the past month to work out the details and modalities of implementing this diplomatic parity. The action taken by India to balance the number of diplomats on both sides was argued to be fully consistent with Article 11.1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Article 11.1 of the Vienna Convention clearly states that in the absence of specific agreements on the size of a diplomatic mission, the receiving state has the authority to set limits that it deems reasonable and normal. These limits are established taking into consideration the circumstances and conditions within the receiving state, as well as the specific needs of the mission in question.
The MEA firmly rejected any insinuation that its efforts to establish parity with Canada constituted a violation of international norms. Instead, it contended that this move was a measured response in line with the provisions of the Vienna Convention and aimed at maintaining a fair and balanced diplomatic relationship between the two nations.
The Canada-India diplomatic relations have been under scrutiny due to concerns about Canada's activities within Indian borders. India's decision to balance the number of diplomats is seen as a proactive step to address these concerns and to ensure that both countries operate on equal diplomatic footing.
This diplomatic exchange between Canada and India underscores the complexities and sensitivities inherent in international relations. As both nations work to uphold diplomatic norms and balance their diplomatic presence, the situation highlights the evolving dynamics in the global diplomatic landscape.
India's response to Canada's diplomatic staff withdrawal underscores the importance of maintaining diplomatic parity in international relations. By emphasizing the conformity of their actions with the Vienna Convention, India has rejected allegations of violating international norms and has signaled its commitment to preserving a balanced and mutually respectful diplomatic relationship with Canada.
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