Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, who was arrested in the US for alleged visa fraud
The dispute between Washington and New Delhi over the arrest of an Indian diplomat in New York escalated today, with India taking steps to ensure that US consular officials here now have the same immunity as that offered to their Indian counterparts in America.
India said that all identity cards issued to US consular officers stand withdrawn. They will be replaced with "exact replicas" of those issued to Indian consulate officials in the US. Also, New Delhi has decided that now, no cards will be given to the family members of US consular officials, since that is not a courtesy extended to Indians in the US.
On December 12, New York deputy consul general Devyani Khobragade was arrested on criminal charges of visa fraud and making false statements about how much she paid her housekeeper, Sangeeta Richard.
Ms Khobragade pleaded not guilty to charges of visa fraud and making false statements about how much she paid her housekeeper. The diplomat was freed on December 13 on $250,000 bail.
Ms Khobragade's arrest on December 12 and the fact that she was strip-searched has enraged India, which is demanding that all charges be dropped against her.
The United Nations has approved a request to accredit her to the Indian mission in the UN, a move that could help end the stand-off with the United States and allow Ms Khobragade to be brought home without the prosecution proceeding.
The US has said that as India's deputy consul general in New York, Ms Khobragade had only limited diplomatic immunity from prosecution - not the more sweeping immunity accorded to UN-accredited diplomats.
One possible scenario to solve the crisis would be that she receives full diplomatic immunity in her UN post if the State Department approves her transfer. The US government would then ask for her immunity to be removed so she can face prosecution. Assuming India refused, the State Department could then take steps to have her removed from the country.