UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, in a call with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau, appealed for the de-escalation of tensions in the India-Canada dispute.

According to a statement from Downing Street, Sunak had a conversation with Trudeau on Friday evening, during which he received updates on the situation involving Canadian diplomats in India.

"The statement read, "Rishi Sunak expressed his hope for a reduction in the current situation and agreed to maintain communication with Prime Minister Trudeau regarding the next steps."

Sunak also reiterated the UK's stance that all nations should respect sovereignty and adhere to the rule of law, including the principles outlined in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Meanwhile, Trudeau provided updates on the situation concerning Canadian diplomats in India.

The diplomatic relations between India and Canada became strained when the Canadian government expelled a senior Indian diplomat, accusing India of involvement in the assassination of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

In response, India promptly issued a statement denying any involvement and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat. Furthermore, amid escalating tensions, India called for a balance in the number of Canadian diplomats stationed in India.

Addressing reports indicating that India had requested Canada to recall 41 of its 62 diplomats in the country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, stated that Canada's diplomatic presence is significantly larger in India, and discussions are ongoing to establish parity.

Bagchi stated, "Given the much larger presence of Canadian diplomats here and their interference in our internal affairs, we have sought a balance in our respective diplomatic representations. Discussions are underway to achieve this. Considering the higher presence of Canadian diplomats, it is expected that there will be a reduction