The US and the UK said India should uphold its obligations under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations after Canada withdrew 41 diplomats from the country, said a report.
The development comes amid worsening diplomatic ties between the two nations over the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada's Vancouver in June. Following the Delhi G20 summit in September, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that the New Delhi had a hand in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who is a Canadian citizen and listed as a 'designated terrorist' by India.
Both Washington and London also urged New Delhi not to insist Ottawa in reducing its diplomatic presence in India and to cooperate with Canada in the investigation into the murder, reported Reuters.
India has denied the allegation about involvement in the Nijjar killing as 'absurd'. New Delhi also rejected allegations that it violated any international law in asking Canada to recall diplomats. It adding that it wanted Ottawa to bring down its number of diplomats in India to match those that New Delhi has in Canada, reported AP.
“Their continued interference in our internal affairs warrant a parity in mutual diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Ottawa,” a statement by the Indian government said.
The US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Washington 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.”
Pointing out that “resolving differences requires diplomats on the ground”, the department said it expects "India to uphold its obligations under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations."
Britain's Foreign Office spokesperson said, "We do not agree with the decisions taken by the Indian government that have resulted in a number of Canadian diplomats departing India."
Britain's Foreign Office also cited the Vienna Convention, saying "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."
The statements by the US and the UK came hours after Canada said it was temporarily suspending in-person operations at consulates in several Indian cities, which would lead to visa processing delays, according to Reuters.
