'Indian protocol was outstanding': German envoy clarifies on protocol controversy

The clarification was made amid a row over social media posts alleging some protocol issue with the German Foreign minister, said reports.

The German Ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann, said the minister's plane landed a little early in Delhi, adding that she was, in fact, one of the first ministers to land in the national capital on Thursday for the G20 Foreign ministers' meeting, ANI reported.

She was asked to stay on the plane for a while but decided to leave without receiving a line, which was entirely a German problem, Ackermann told ANI, adding that the Indian protocol was outstanding.

"We had to transfer her to the conference centre and she was a little early so the German authorities asked her to wait on the plane for a while," the German ambassador informed, adding that she agreed to stay in the aircraft.

"She had some breakfast and then spontaneously decided to leave the plane without the receiving line being formed. But that was an entire German problem," the German ambassador said.

"It has nothing to do with Indian protocol. I can only say again and again the Indian protocol has done outstanding work this week. It is really, really more than anything I've seen in a protocol in my life. And they did that very graciously. Fantastically," he said.

"The minister came out of the plane. You've seen it on the little video on social media, she laughed, she had a great time, she thought to herself it was quite funny and we had a very nice welcome. And she's not a very pretentious person, so she had no problem with this little mishap," the envoy added.

"That was an entire German mishap and has nothing to do with Indian protocol," he said.

"Under the current circumstances, G20 is a difficult business and I don't envy any president but can say that the Indian side did that masterfully. It was a fantastically organised and set-up conference. Everybody was happy with the context. My minister had a couple of very good bilaterals on the side and when she left, she was very, very happy. And at Raisina Dialogue, a couple of German parliamentarians came and what I get from their impressions is that Raisina after the G20 was again a great success," Ackermann told ANI.

"So kudos to the Indian side, kudos to Indian protocol. First and foremost because they did a fantastic job in hospitality," the German envoy said, praising the organisation and conduct of the Foreign ministers' meeting, other G20 events and the 8th edition of the Raisina Dialogue.