New Delhi: As India seeks diplomatic parity in mutual strength and rank with Canada, ThePrint has learnt that Ottawa has at least three times more accredited diplomats than New Delhi.
Canada also has four Missions in India, including the High Commission in Delhi while India has three.
Sources said the number of accredited Indian diplomats in Canada is around 35. But Canadian accredited diplomats in India stand at a little over 100.
These include one high commissioner, two deputy high commissioners, three ministers, 18 councillors, nearly three dozen first Secretaries and several second secretaries and attachés.
However, when the entire staff strength is considered – as in those who are not accredited diplomatically but still working in missions – then the disparity becomes more stark, government sources told ThePrint. There are also family members added to those figures.
The total number of Indians working at the three missions in Canada is around 120, while Canadian staff and family in Delhi alone is much more than that, they said, adding the Canadians have significant strength in the three other consulates.
While India has the High Commission in Ottawa and Consulates in Vancouver and Toronto, Canada has consulates in Chandigarh, Mumbai and Bengaluru, besides the High Commission in New Delhi.
ThePrint spoke to several former ambassadors on what could happen in the bilateral ties going forward from here, and they said the stress on parity could result in the shutting down of one of the three Canadian consulates in India.
Minister of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told the media Thursday that India had sought “parity in strength and rank equivalence in our mutual diplomatic presence…”.
He added their numbers here were “very much higher than ours in Canada”. “The details of this are being worked out, but I assume there will be a reduction from the Canadian side,” Bagchi said.
Before the MEA press meeting, the Canadian High Commission issued a statement saying the country was temporarily adjusting staff presence in India “out of an abundance of caution”.
Asked about this Bagchi said, “This is taking place pursuant to a request from the Indian side.”
Diplomatic sources told ThePrint that discussions were still ongoing with Canada as of Friday afternoon and that India had asked for a full list of Canadian diplomats and staff present in the country. It is learnt the list is yet to be provided.
Relations between the two countries hit a new low Monday, following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations about India having a role in the death of wanted Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June in Canada.
India rejected these allegations as “absurd and motivated”, and issued a travel advisory for Indian nationals and students in Canada.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
Also read: ‘Info vacuum’ to ‘faux-machismo’ — how Canadian media is covering diplomatic row with India