Diplomatic row or a storm in a teacup?

The Indian establishment sees it as an affront to one of its diplomats in New York, and thus to the country. The US administration insists it has played by the rules. The incident, which has now snowballed into a major diplomatic row, started with the arrest of Devyani Khobragade, India's deputy consul general in New York on Dec 12.

Khobragade was arrested on charges of visa fraud and underpaying her maid, Sangeeta Richard. Richard, an Indian national, started working for Khobragade about a year ago. On June 23 this year, she sought refuge with a US attorney. Indian officials claim to have informed the US of the development, and a day later New Delhi canceled Richard's passport, making her an illegal immigrant in the US.

In early July, Richard and Khobragade, along with other consulate officials, met at an attorney's office in New York, where Richard reportedly asked for $10,000 as compensation plus an ordinary Indian passport and a clean reference, which Khobragade is said to have refused.