(Image source from: Devyani returns)

Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade's return to India was followed by the announcement of withdrawal of a US official in India. The withdrawal of the US diplomat was stated to be in compliance to a demand by the Indian government for an expulsion of the official.

Khobragade, India's deputy consul general in New York, was indicted of exploiting her domestic worker, Sangeeta Richard, by paying her low wages, making her work for more than 100 hours in a week and lying about it in the visa form. The 39-year-old Indian diplomat maintained that she was innocent while India has termed her treatment as harsh.

The United States, in an effort to solve the diplomatic row, compromised by granting her immunity and allowing her to leave US while Khobragade was indicted for visa fraud charges and making false statements at a New York court. Devyani reached New Delhi on Friday, where her father and a sister met her at the airport.

Analysts are of the opinion that Khobragade's return to India has given a new lease of life to the sour diplomatic relation between the two countries in which neither lost its face. However, New Delhi demanded for the expulsion of a diplomat from the US embassy in New Delhi, which US agreed to but the state department stated that it would comply, albeit with "deep regret".

(Picture Source: metrojournalist.com)

(AW: Pratima Tigga)