India must consider implications before taking a stand against Italy

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has said that India is definitely infuriated at Italy’s denial to send the two marines back; however, the actual decisions are far more complicated. He said one needs to calculate exactly how to channel the infuriation to get the desired results.

Khurshid met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Union Defence Minister A. K. Antony, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Sonia’s political secretary Ahmed Patel on Friday to discuss the matter in detail. He promised that action against Italy will be taken but first the authorities will have to cautiously consider the implications, such as economic ties.

“Decisions cannot be taken in vacuum. One has to look at the implications, the intensity of the relationship in the past and the attitude that other countries will take. Any decision of this nature involves sacrifices as well. If one has to take a stand, one has to be ready to pay a price for it,” said Khurshid.

On the other hand, airports around the country have been alerted to prevent Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini from leaving India. The Ambassador has been ordered to stay in India at least till Monday, when he will explain the court why Rome has refused to return two marines.

The Italian government had promised to send back Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone to face trial for shooting dead two Kerala fishermen in February last year. Once the two marines reached their homeland, Italy went back on its commitment.

“We would, obviously, in the right time, given the information we get from the court finally decide what we need to do,” Khurshid said.