Canadian Personnel's Continuous Interference In Our Affairs Raised Concerns: EAM Jaishankar

On Sunday, 22nd October, India's External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, addressed the invocation of diplomatic parity with Canada, citing "concerns about continuous interference in our affairs by Canadian personnel."

This move to establish parity, Jaishankar noted, is consistent with the Vienna Convention, the relevant international guideline in diplomatic relations.

He said, "Parity is very much provided for by the Vienna Convention, which is the relevant international rule on this. But in our case, we invoked parity because we had concerns about continuous interference in our affairs by Canadian personnel," as quoted by India Today.

Regarding the extent of Canadian diplomatic interference in Indian affairs, Jaishankar remarked that much of the information on this matter remains undisclosed. He suggested that with time, more details may emerge, shedding light on why India had experienced discomfort with certain Canadian personnel.

Jaishankar noted, "My sense is over a period of time more stuff will come out and people will understand why we had the kind of discomfort with many of them which we did,"

Jaishankar also discussed the strained ties between India and Canada, expressing hope that the situation would improve, allowing Indian diplomats to fulfill their basic duties confidently. He emphasized the paramount importance of ensuring the safety and security of diplomats, a fundamental aspect of the Vienna Convention.

Presently, there are concerns that Indian diplomats and personnel are not safe in Canada, which challenges the conventions of diplomatic relations. "Ensuring safety and security of diplomats is the most fundamental aspect of the Vienna Convention. And right now that is what has in many ways been challenged in Canada that our people are not safe, our diplomats are not safe," added the foreign minister.

In response to Canada's withdrawal of 41 diplomats and their subsequent remarks, India rejected any portrayal of the implementation of diplomatic parity as a violation of international norms.

The Indian External Affairs Ministry issued a statement underscoring that the state of bilateral relations, the higher number of Canadian diplomats in India, and their continued interference in India's internal affairs justified establishing parity in mutual diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Ottawa.

The minister further said, "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"

This diplomatic dispute originated in September when India requested that Canada reduce its diplomatic presence following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's statement, which suggested a potential link between Indian agents and the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey in June this year.