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The India-Canada crisis took a new turn on Friday when 41 diplomats were recalled from the country. Both Canada and the US have since called on New Delhi to maintain its obligations under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, while the State Department insists that its actions were not against international law.
India stressed that its move was aimed at ensuring diplomatic parity and was fully consistent with international conventions.
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement, “Our action in implementing this parity is fully consistent with Article 11.1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations… We do not intend to portray the implementation of the parity as a violation of international norms. Reject any attempt.”
What is the Vienna Convention?
The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations is an international treaty signed by 61 countries in 1961. It creates a framework for diplomatic interaction between independent nations and aims to ensure ‘the development of friendly relations between nations’. Currently 193 countries are parties to the document.
What is Article 11.1 about?
“India emphasizes that its actions are in line with the principles set out in Article 11.1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. This particular section deals with the size of international missions within other countries.
“In the absence of specific agreement as to the size of the mission, the receiving State may require that the size of the mission be kept within the limits it considers appropriate and normal, taking into account the circumstances and conditions of the receiving State and to the needs of the particular mission,” the Vienna Convention recognizes.
America and Canada have warned India against violating which rules?
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie on Thursday claimed that India has “formally communicated its plan to unilaterally lift diplomatic immunity” for more than 40 diplomats in Delhi.
“This means that 41 Canadian diplomats and 42 of their dependents were at risk of being stripped of immunity on an arbitrary date, and that would put their personal safety at risk,” he said during a news conference in Ottawa.
Meanwhile, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller has urged India to uphold its international obligations – including the “privileges and immunities enjoyed by accredited members of Canadian diplomatic missions”.
Under the Vienna Convention a diplomatic agent has immunity from criminal jurisdiction of the receiving state. Such persons are also exempted from its civil and administrative jurisdiction with some exceptions.
(with inputs from agencies)
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Updated: October 21, 2023, 05:55 am IST
