It's not every day that Italy manages to look less shambolic than another country. But Monday's announcement that two Italian marines won't honor a pledge to India's Supreme Court to face charges for shooting two Indian fishermen dead last year leaves India with the diplomatic equivalent of egg on its face. The marines, who had been in India since the incident 13 months ago, had ostensibly returned home briefly in January to vote in Italy's general election.

The diplomatic spat dominated India's front pages this week. On Wednesday,...