Indian embassy in Slovenia defaced: India demands action against anti-India elements
MEA spokesman Randhir Jaiswal. (Image courtesy: X/@MEAIndia)
New Delhi: India has sought immediate action from Slovenia after anti-India elements vandalized and defaced the premises of the Indian embassy in Ljubljana, with the Ministry of External Affairs calling the incident unacceptable. New Delhi has asked Slovenian authorities to investigate the matter, identify those involved and ensure that they are held accountable.
The MEA said it has raised the issue with Slovenian officials through channels in both India and Slovenia. The ministry also pointed to the obligations of the host country under the Vienna Convention, which provides diplomatic missions with protection and recognizes their premises as inviolable.
Alongside the vandalism, India has expressed concern over anti-India propaganda and disinformation being circulated by the same elements. New Delhi has urged Slovenian law enforcement agencies to take appropriate action against such activities and prevent further incidents.
The development comes at a time when India and Slovenia have maintained regular diplomatic contact and have been looking to expand cooperation. India’s ambassador to Slovenia, Amit Narang, held talks with Slovenian foreign and European affairs minister, Tone Kajzer last month, with discussions covering ways to take bilateral relations forward and develop new areas of cooperation.
Narang also conveyed the external affairs minister, S Jaishankar’s, congratulations to Kajzer following his appointment, reflecting continued political engagement between the two countries.
Earlier, India had reiterated its commitment to the bilateral relationship during Slovenia’s National Day celebrations in New Delhi on June 24. MEA secretary (west) Sibi George, who represented India at the event, highlighted opportunities for greater cooperation and appreciated Slovenia’s support for India’s position against cross-border terrorism.
The political outreach between the two countries had also continued at the leadership level in May. Prime minister, Narendra Modi, congratulated Janez Jansa after his election as Slovenia’s prime minister and expressed India’s interest in working with his government to strengthen bilateral ties.
The embassy vandalism therefore comes amid otherwise active diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Ljubljana, adding a security concern to the recent exchanges between the two countries.
