Why Did India Abstain from UN Resolution on Russia-Ukraine War? Understanding Nation's View

India was among the 32 nations that abstained as the 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine on Thursday, put forward by Ukraine and its supporters.

On the first anniversary of the Ukraine conflict, a look at India’s approach so far:

‘People-Centric Approach’

Since Russia’s February 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine, several UN resolutions – in the General Assembly, Security Council and Human Rights Council, have condemned the invasion and underlined the commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The General Assembly has met in this Emergency Special Session on Ukraine six times in the past year.

India, which maintains good relations with Russia, has abstained from the UN resolutions on Ukraine and consistently underlined the need to respect the UN Charter, international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. New Delhi has also urged that all efforts be made for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an urgent return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, speaking after the most recent UN resolution, called the country’s approach the war ‘people-centric’. “India’s approach to the Ukraine conflict will continue to be people-centric. We are providing both humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and economic support to some of our neighbours in the Global South under economic distress, even as they stare at the escalating costs of food, fuel, and fertilisers, which has been a consequential fallout of the ongoing conflict,” she said, as per a PTI report.

Focus on Diplomacy, Dialogue

The most recent, non-binding resolution, received 141 votes in favour and seven against, underscored the need to reach, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. In the Explanation of Vote after the resolution was adopted, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said that as the General Assembly marks a year of the Ukrainian conflict, it is important that we ask ourselves a few pertinent questions.

“Are we anywhere near a possible solution acceptable to both sides? Can any process that does not involve either of the two sides, ever lead to a credible and meaningful solution? Has the UN system, and particularly its principal organ, the UN Security Council, based on a 1945-world construct, not been rendered ineffective to address contemporary challenges to global peace and security?” Kamboj said.

She stressed that India continues to remain concerned over the situation in Ukraine, noting that the conflict has resulted in the loss of countless lives and misery, particularly for women, children, and the elderly, with millions becoming homeless and forced to seek shelter in neighbouring countries. Reports of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are also deeply concerning, she added.

“We also note the emphasis on increasing support by member states for diplomatic efforts to achieve peace, as well as support for the Secretary General’s efforts to promote a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine. However, reports from the ground portray a complex scenario, with the conflict intensifying on several fronts,” she said.

Reiterating that India remains steadfastly committed to multilateralism and upholds the principles of the UN Charter, Kamboj stressed “we will always call for dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable way out. While we take note of the stated objectives of today’s resolution, given its inherent limitations in reaching our desired goal of securing a lasting peace, we are constrained to abstain.” General Assembly resolutions are not binding unlike the Security Council resolutions and carry mainly symbolic weight at the United Nations.

Kamboj said that New Delhi has consistently advocated that no solution can ever be found at the cost of human lives.

‘Not an Era of War’

At the SCO Summit last year in September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told Putin that “it was not a time for war”, with food, fertiliser and fuel security becoming major global concerns.

“I know that today’s era is not an era of war, and I have spoken to you on the phone about this,” Modi had told Putin on the sidelines of the SCO summit Uzbekistan. He had added that democracy, diplomacy and dialogue kept the world together.

Responding at the time, Putin had said that he understood Modi’s concerns about the conflict. “I know about your position on the conflict in Ukraine, and I know about your concerns. We want all of this to end as soon as possible.”

The United States at the time had hailed India’s words.

Modi has also spoken to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on call. In December last year, the two leaders discussed the violence in Ukraine, and Modi restated his appeal for an urgent cessation of hostilities and a return to diplomacy and dialogue.

This had been Modi’s second phone chat with Zelensky since October. In a tweet, Zelensky had stated that he was seeking India’s assistance in implementing a “peace formula” he suggested to the G20 Summit.

Kamboj, stressing on how important and true Modi’s statement still remained, said it bore “repetition” and underlined that escalation of hostilities and violence is in no one’s interest.

“Instead an urgent return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy is the way forward,” the Indian envoy said.

India stressed that it is unfortunate that as the trajectory of the Ukrainian conflict unfolds, the entire Global South has suffered its unintended consequences. It is critical that the voice of the Global South be heard and their legitimate concerns are duly addressed, India has said.

With inputs from PTI

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