Saying India didn't make any concessions, Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid Friday credited India's 'victory' to its tough stand against Italy that forced their counterpart to make a U-turn decision to send the two marines back to India after a row of diplomacy between the two countries.

"The return of the Italian marines shows that diplomacy works. All of you were too quick to write off diplomacy," Salman Khurshid told Media.

Deciding to return its marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen, Italian government said that it has received written assurance from the Indian officials that their "fundamental rights" would be respected.

However, the Indian External Affairs minister pointed out that the government has never made such a concession, adding: law is law.

"Law remains as it is... nothing changes. ...they will have to respect the SC (Supreme Court) order," Indian media quoted Khurshid as saying.

India's Attorney General has said that India won't arrest the Italian Marines immediately and the two are scheduled to stay in the premises of Italian embassy in Delhi.

Italy's refusal to send back the marines after its envoy agreed that the two will return after participating in its country's election had outraged the Indian government in recent days.

Following Italy's refusal, New Delhi government ordered its entire airport across the country to return the Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini if he tries to leave the country amid war of words between the two countries.

Indian police arrested Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone on accounts of killing two fishermen off the Kerala coast Feb. 15 2012. However, Italy has defended that the incident happened in an international water area while its marines were on an international anti-piracy mission. Two marines said that they mistook the fishing boat for a pirate craft.

To contact the editor, e-mail: