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鈥� A daily summary of global reports on security issues.

India鈥檚 Supreme Court blocked the Italian ambassador from leaving the country today, further escalating a diplomatic dispute over two Italian marines accused of shooting two fishermen last year in the Arabian Sea, off the southwestern coast of India.聽

India wants the marines 鈥� who were allowed to leave briefly after Italy guaranteed in writing that they would come back 鈥� to be returned to face murder charges聽in a special court in Delhi. Italy, however, has refused to honor that request.

鈥淚taly takes this opportunity to inform the Indian government that, given the formal acknowledgement of an international dispute between the two states, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone will not be returning to India upon expiration of the leave granted them,鈥� the聽Italian government said聽in a statement on Monday.

In response, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told parliament on Wednesday that,聽"Our government has insisted that Italian authorities 鈥� 聽respect the undertaking they have given to the Supreme Court and return the two accused persons to stand trial in India.

"If they do not keep their word, there will be consequences for our relations with Italy," Mr. Singh said. His response was met by cheers, reports The Wall Street Journal.

India says the shooting took place in Indian waters. Italy contends it took place in international waters, and thus the marines 鈥� who have said they thought the men were Somali pirates 鈥� should be tried at home.

A post on The New York Times India Ink blog notes that the situation is complicated by the fact that ruling Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi was born in Italy and thus is suspected by some of being in the pocket of the European country. London's Financial Times reiterates that point, reporting that opposition members in India have 鈥渁ccused the government of colluding with Italy to allow the marines to abscond and have suggested that Congress 鈥� is beholden to foreigners.鈥�

And furthering tensions between the two countries is the fallout from聽recent corruption investigation聽by Italy into a Finmeccanica helicopter deal with India.

Today, India's Supreme Court told Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini聽that he and the accused marines had until Monday to explain themselves, reports The Financial Times.聽

India government was 'naive'

In India, myriad editorials, tweets, and commentary largely condemned the government鈥檚 鈥渘a茂vet茅鈥� in allowing the marines to exit the country before trial.

An editorial in The Times of India states that 鈥淭he incident will reinforce the impression of India being a soft state with foreigners, whether friend or foe, unable to take its commitment to the rule of law seriously.

And many Indians took to Twitter to denounce their government鈥檚 decision. 鈥淲e could have at least sent the #ItalianMarines back in one of our AgustaWestland VVIP choppers,鈥� tweeted @ShivAroor, alluding to the alleged kickback scheme in India over the manufacturing of the Anglo-Italian helicopters.

And a cartoon by Satya in The Times of India shows an image of Singh calling Italy asking for the marines to be returned. The Italian response?

鈥淵ou think it's some pizza service? No home delivery!鈥� A thought bubble next to the prime minister shows him noting that he must have called the wrong number.

An editorial entitled 鈥淎n Italian Job鈥� in The Hindu says that refusing to return Mr. Latorre and Mr. Girone may earn Italy 鈥渂rownie points at home,鈥� but the decision is 鈥渦nbecoming of a responsible nation.

According to Reuters, Indian officials say they are weighing their next steps, and may consider expelling the Italian ambassador if the men聽don鈥檛 arrive in court as scheduled on March 22.

"I am the envoy. I will represent the government of Italy until the very moment when [a competent authority] would declare me persona non grata," ambassador Mancini told reporters yesterday.