A Soft State

Given the ease with which two Italian marines, on trial for killing two Indian fishermen in Indian waters, were allowed to jump bail and escape to Italy - on the ruse that they needed to vote in Italy's recent elections - it's difficult to resist the conclusion that New Delhi has succumbed to sustained diplomatic pressure from Rome. The Italian position has always been that New Delhi has no jurisdiction over the case, and the matter must be sorted out on their turf.

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