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Highlighting that nearly 100 Canadian diplomatic staffers have left India over the past couple of months, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the reduction has happened on account of the local staffing, adding that it is an administrative matter and must be taken to the Canadian authorities.
MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while addressing the weekly presser on Friday, said that their visa processing and functioning are normal. "The reduction has happened on account of the local staff. It is an administrative matter which must be taken to the Canadian side, as they will explain the reasons behind it," Jaiswal said. "As we understand their visa processing etc is normal, functioning is normal," he said, adding that for more information on that, the Canadian side can guide better. In October last year, Canada pulled out 41 diplomats from India and also halted its visa and consular services in Chandigarh, Mumbai, and Bengaluru consulates in the wake of the Union government's decision to strip them of their immunity. This came after New Delhi conveyed its concerns to Ottawa over the disproportionate number of diplomats in India and sought a 'parity' in diplomatic strength. Canada further accused India of violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded that no international norms were violated in India, seeking parity in the mutual diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Ottawa. The MEA statement noted that the state of the ties between India and Canada as well as Ottawa's continued presence in India's internal affairs warrant a "parity" in mutual diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Ottawa. India has engaged with Canada over the past month in order to work out the details and modalities of its implementation, the MEA statement read, adding that India's actions in implementing the parity are fully consistent with Article 11.1 of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic ties. Notably, the ties between India and Canada have been strained after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau alleged in September last year, that the Indian government was behind the fatal shooting of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India has outrightly rejected the claims, calling them 'absurd' and 'motivated'. Notably, Canada has yet to provide any public evidence to support the claim about the killing of Nijjar. (ANI)
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