Italian marines' case: Security expert calls for consensus between India, Italy

Security and strategic analyst, Commodore (retired) C Uday Bhaskar, on Tuesday called for a political consensus between India and Italy to resolve the Italian marines' case.

"These two officials are part of the Italian military and therefore a different framework or context needs to be introduced into the whole case. But, if a political accommodation or a modus vivendi could be arrived at, it would be a very positive development as far as India-Italy relations are concerned," Commodore (retd.) Bhaskar said.

Italy's Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni has been reported as saying that his government 'will see' if one its marines is fit to return to India.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court (SC) had dismissed the plea of the two Italian marines, demanding a further relaxation of their bail conditions.

Italian marine Massimiliano Latorre had sought two months' extension of his stay in Italy for undergoing heart surgery, while Salvatore Girone had sought the apex court's nod to go to Italy to celebrate Christmas.

Latorre and Girone were part of a military security team protecting a tanker from an alleged piracy strike, and are accused of shooting two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala in February 2012.