‘In line with Vienna Convention’: India rebuts Canada on exit of 41 diplomats

India-Canada relations: The external ministry rejected the attempt to portray the implementation of parity as a violation of international norms

NEW DELHI: India on Friday rejected Canada’s characterisation of a move to ensure parity in diplomatic presence as a violation of international norms and said its action was in line with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, walks past Prime Minister Narendra Modi as they take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at Raj Ghat, Mahatma Gandhi's cremation site, during the G20 Summit on Sept. 10 (AP FILE PHOTO)

Canada’s foreign minister Melanie Joly announced on Thursday that 41 Canadian diplomats and their 42 dependents had been withdrawn from India following a move to “unilaterally remove” their diplomatic immunities.

Following the diplomatic row over Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegation of the involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Indian side had sought parity in diplomatic presence through the withdrawal of 41 of the 62 Canadian diplomats in the country.

Responding to Joly’s contention that India’s action amounted to a violation of the Vienna Convention and international norms, the external affairs ministry said in a statement: “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.”

The ministry added: “We reject any attempt to portray the implementation of parity as a violation of international norms.”

The Indian side has been engaged with Canada on the issue of diplomatic parity over the last month to work out the details and modalities of its implementation.

India’s actions in implementing the parity are fully consistent with Article 11.1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the statement said.

This section states: “In the absence of specific agreement as to the size of the mission, the receiving State may require that the size of a mission be kept within limits considered by it to be reasonable and normal, having regard to circumstances and conditions in the receiving State and to the needs of the particular mission.”