India on Thursday insisted on the need for ensuring "parity" in Canada's diplomatic presence in the country and asserted that its measures are in compliance with the Vienna conventions on diplomatic relations, signalling continuing strain in the bilateral ties over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in June.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also made a veiled criticism of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for taking up the diplomatic row with a number foreign leaders, and said the "core issue" has been Canada providing space to terrorist and criminal elements.
"I do not know really how it helps address the core issue. And what is the core issue -- (it is) the space given by Canada to terrorist and criminal elements," Bagchi said at his weekly media briefing.
Trudeau discussed the Canada-India diplomatic row with the King of Jordan and the UAE president recently while insisting that international conventions must be respected.
Bagchi also appeared to reject Canada's view that India's demand for reducing Canadian diplomatic presence is not compliant with the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.
"From our part, I can assure that everything India is doing is in compliance with the Vienna conventions on diplomatic relations," he said.
The external affairs ministry spokesperson said India is engaged with Canada on the modalities to achieve "parity" in the diplomatic presence.
India asked Canada to withdraw several dozen diplomats from its missions amid the escalating diplomatic row that erupted following Trudeau's allegation linking Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June. India strongly rejected the charges.
Reports said India asked Canada to withdraw 41 of its 62 diplomats.
"We remain committed to what we said that is ensuring parity in our diplomatic presence. We remained engaged with the Canadian authorities on the modalities of achieving that," Bagchi said.
"We are engaged with the Canadian authorities to ensure parity," he said.
Asked about a report in the Financial Times newspaper that Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly held a "secret meeting" with her Indian counterpart S Jaishankar in Washington last month, Bagchi said he did not have any information on it to share.
"We have been in touch with Canadians at various levels. Regarding any specific interaction, I do not have any particular information to share," he said.
Jaishankar was in Washington DC from September 27 to 30 after concluding a five-day trip to New York.
Bagchi also urged Canada to "take more seriously their international obligation to provide security to our diplomats and their premises".
