India abstains from UN vote condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine

 


India has once again abstained from voting in a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution that condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began a year ago. The resolution was backed by 141 nations with seven, including Russia, voting against it and 32 abstaining, including India.

 

Delhi reiterated its stance on the invasion, claiming that the only way out was through peaceful dialogue. India has faced increasing pressure to take a firmer stand on Russia's actions, with many countries publicly appealing to Delhi to take a clear stand and "do the right thing".

 

However, India has continued with its strategy of not criticizing Russia directly and has abstained from similar resolutions both at the UNGA and at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in the past. The two countries have a trusted relationship dating back to the Cold War, and Russia is also India's largest arms supplier.

 

Despite this, Delhi has emphasized the importance of "the UN Charter, international law, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states" in its past statements on Ukraine.

 

Ruchira Kamboj, India's permanent representative to the UN, stated at the UN vote on Friday that "no solution can ever arrive at the cost of human lives.

 

The invasion has been ongoing for a year and has resulted in tensions between Russia and the West. The UN has repeatedly condemned Russia's actions in Ukraine, with the latest resolution calling for "the immediate withdrawal of all foreign military forces from Ukraine."

 

The ongoing conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths and has displaced many more,  

 

 


The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which started a year ago. The motion was supported by 141 nations, while 32 abstained, and seven, including Russia, voted against it. The resolution called for immediate peace and reaffirmed support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, rejecting any Russian claims to the parts of the country it occupies. It also demanded that Russia "immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from Ukraine's territory within its internationally recognized borders" and declared a cease-fire.

India, China, Iran, and South Africa were among the countries that abstained in the vote. India reiterated its stance on the invasion, claiming that the only way out was through peaceful dialogue. The country has resisted pressure to take a clear stand and "do the right thing" from many countries, including the US and Ukraine In the past, India has voted against similar resolutions at both the UNGA and the UNSC. The two countries have a long-standing relationship since the Cold War, and Russia is India's largest arms supplier, although its share has dropped in recent years.

 

Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, and Syria were the seven countries that voted against the resolution. Russia had illegally annexed four regions of Ukraine in September 2021, and the UN demanded their immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal from Ukraine's internationally recognized borders. The UN also called for an end to the hostilities in Ukraine.