The US and UK seemed to have left India to fend for itself as two Western nations sided with Canada in a worsening rift between New Delhi and Ottawa.
The latest instance of the US and UK allying with Canada came after Ottawa pulled out 41 diplomats from the South Asian nation, accusing India of violating the Vienna Convention.
However, in a strongly worded statement, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), rejected Canada's allegations.
Canadian Diplomats Interfere in India's Internal Matters
The MEA highlighted that a month ago, New Delhi had conveyed to Ottawa that there was a high number of Canadian diplomats residing in India, and sought parity as far as the "mutual diplomatic presence" was concerned.
"We reject any attempt to portray the implementation of parity as a violation of international norms," the MEA's statement read.
"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," it elaborated.
Despite India's clarification, the US and UK discouraged India for not forcing Canada to withdraw its diplomats from there.
"We have urged the Indian government not to insist upon a reduction in Canada's diplomatic presence and to cooperate in the ongoing Canadian investigation. We expect India to uphold its obligations under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, including with respect to privileges and immunities enjoyed by accredited members of Canada's diplomatic mission," a US State Department spokesperson stated.
"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 noted in a statement.
US, UK Keep Mum on India's Concerns Pro-Khalistan Activities in Canada
Interestingly, the US, and UK, which have often called India their "friend" have not asked serious questions to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government over India's growing concerns over pro-Khalistan activists finding "safe havens" in Canada.
Instead, Washington and London have urged New Delhi to come clean on Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a banned Khalistan terrorist's killing, which Canada has accused the Indian government's agents of orchestrating.
India has denied involvement in the murder of Nijjar, a proscribed terrorist in the world's largest democratic sovereign state, including on charges of hate crimes.