OTTAWA, Oct. 20 (CGTN) – Canada evacuated its 41 diplomats and 42 accompanying dependents from India after the Indian government threatened to strip them of their diplomatic immunity, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference in Ottawa, the Canadian foreign minister said, "I can confirm that India has formally conveyed its plan to unilaterally remove diplomatic immunities for all but 21 Canadian diplomats and dependents in Delhi by tomorrow, October 20."

Responding to a media query on whether Canada will retaliate by requiring India to reduce its diplomatic head count in Canada, Joly said, "India's decision to declare persona non grata is unreasonable. But we will not retaliate."

Photo from Xinhua