New Delhi (TIP)- The Canadian government announced on Thursday, October 19, that 41 of its diplomats in India have departed, a day prior to the deadline set by New Delhi for their withdrawal, failing which they were liable to lose diplomatic immunity. However, Ottawa is unlikely to escalate the diplomatic row, as Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly said Ottawa has “decided not to reciprocate” even as the development was defined as “expulsion” of the Canadian diplomats.
The diplomatic drawdown came after India sought “parity” in the strength of Canada’s diplomatic presence by bringing down those stationed in the country from 62 to 21.
Speaking at a press conference in Ottawa on October 19, Joly said, “I can confirm that India has formally conveyed its plan to unilaterally remove diplomatic immunities for all but 21 Canadian diplomats and dependents in Delhi by tomorrow, October 20.”
She added, “Given the implications of India’s actions on the safety of our diplomats, we have facilitated their safe departure from India.” “This means that our diplomats and their families have now left and are on their way home,” she said.
In a statement from the country’s foreign ministry, Global Affairs Canada, Joly said, “India accredited each and every one of the Canadian diplomats they are now expelling. And all of those diplomats were carrying out their duties in good faith, and to the greater benefit of both countries.”
The original deadline for bringing down the number of Canadian diplomats in India was October 10. But Canada had let that deadline elapse, while engaging in private negotiations with India. However, those talks appear to have failed. However, she added that Canada will “continue to engage” with India, as “Now more than ever, we need to have diplomats on the ground and we need to talk to one another.” Joly said, “Canada will continue to defend international law, which applies equally to all states. Canada will continue to engage India and remains committed to dialogue as we move forward.”
She also said the decision by India was unprecedented. “A unilateral revocation of diplomatic privileges and immunities is contrary to international law. It is a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” she argued. She added that threatening to strip such immunity was “unreasonable and escalatory” since that allows “diplomats to do their work, without fear of reprisal or arrest from the country they are in.”
Joly was joined at the press conference by Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller. Canada will have to “pause” in-person services at its consulates in Chandigarh, Bengaluru and Mumbai “until further notice”. “The lower numbers of staff will have short-term repercussions, and I believe medium-term as well,” Miller said. India accounts for the largest cohort of international students and permanent residents in Canada and those applications processes could be adversely impacted. India had already announced in September that it was indefinitely stopping issuance of visas to Canadian nationals.
The Global Affairs Canada statement said “this mass expulsion will impact our operations, and client service will be affected.” “
“India’s decision will impact levels of services to citizens of both countries. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will continue to accept and process applications from India. However, certain application requirements will need to be completed locally or on-site in a secure environment. As a result, the reduction in the size of the IRCC team will affect service standards for residents of India,” the statement elaborated.
Five IRCC staff will remain in India and focus on work that requires an in­-country presence such as urgent processing, visa printing, risk assessment and overseeing key partners, including visa application centres, panel physicians and clinics that perform immigration medical exams. The rest of the work and staff will be reassigned across its global processing network.
Source: HT