Attempts will be made by Western ministers and officials to prevent the diplomatic row between Canada and India from affecting other international relations.

It is the last thing the United States and other western powers want at the moment to be divided from India by a row.

India plays an important role on the grand geopolitical chess board.

In addition to its growing power, it is the world’s most populous country and the fifth largest economy. It is also considered a potential bulwark against China by the West.

A final agreement was reached between Ukraine’s Western allies at the recent G20 meeting in India

The Ukrainian government avoided a row over the statement in order to protect its relationship with India, a decision that angered some in the Kyiv government.

Another concern among Western diplomats is the possibility of countries taking sides in the dispute between Canada and India.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of assassinating a Sikh activist in western Canada in June, escalating tensions between the two nations.

India has been attempting to position itself as the leader of developing countries – sometimes called the Global South – in recent months. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia was not condemned by many of these countries.

There has been a diplomatic effort by the US and some European countries to convince these countries that the war matters to them.

In a statement, Canada’s foreign ministry said Trudeau raised the issue with US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

There is always the possibility that a diplomatic row like this could have domestic political consequences in countries like the UK and Australia, which have large Sikh communities.

James Cleverly, the UK’s foreign secretary, said Britain would “listen very, very carefully to Canada’s serious concerns”.