Ukraine Crisis: India Abstains From UNSC Vote Asserting Its Strategic Autonomy

Looking to its own national interest, India on Friday abstained from voting on a US and Albania-sponsored resolution condemning Russia’s military action in Ukraine, at the UNSC. China and the United Arab Emirates also abstained from the vote. However, 11 of the 15 UNSC members voted for the resolution, which Russia as a permanent member of the Security Council vetoed. Ironically, Asian rivals India and China took the same stand and remained neutral.

TS Tirumurti, India’s Permanent Representative at the UNSC explained India’s stand, saying that New Delhi is deeply disturbed by the recent turn of developments in Ukraine. He repeated what India had said in previous statements at the UNSC, that the need of the hour is an immediate stop to violence and hostilities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on the phone with President Vladimir Putin on Thursday stressing this point. Tirumurti also mentioned in his explanation of the vote that the government was concerned about the welfare and security of Indian nationals, including students stuck in Ukraine. He went on to say that the contemporary global order has been built on the UN Charter, international law, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. And less the world thinks that India is supporting Russia’s aggressive action, Tirumurti added that all member states must respect these principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. He added that it was a matter of regret that the path of diplomacy was given up and urged all parties to return to the negotiating table.

India has refused to cow down to tremendous pressure from the US and kept its own national interest in mind. Despite talk of democracy, principles, sovereignty and free choice that world leaders keep throwing around, the fact remains that every country whether it is the US, France, Germany or Russia, acts for what it considers best for their national interest. India played a lone hand when it decided to send its army to Bangladesh in 1971 to help the mukti bahini. The Pakistan army was killing civilians, intellectuals were massacred in the Dhaka University, women were raped and murdered.  Did the US or any liberal Western democracy condemn what was happening in Bangladesh? Nobody did because, at that time, Pakistan and the US were close friends. Instead, President Richard Nixon sent the US-Seventh Fleet towards the Bay of Bengal to send a signal to India. So it did not suit America pm mto talk of democracy, free choice and the massacre of civilians. But ordinary citizens of the US and UK, as well as singers and artists came out in protest against the massacre of civilians. Joan Baez wrote a song for the people of Bangladesh which hit the top of the charts at that time.

So, nations often try to find a balance between principles and their own hard strategic interests. International politics is a tough ball game and there is much posturing but all sides act to serve their strategic and geopolitical interests. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had decided that this is what serves Indian interests best.

The one issue which is worrying analysts critical of the government is  Russia’s increasing friendship with China. India has broken with its quad friends, the US, Japan and Australia, who are all on the same page regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine. The quad is aimed at checkmating China’s assertive moves to establish itself as the sole power in Asia. India’s security concerns in the Asia-Pacific to contain China is aligned to the US. India is friends with both the US and Russia. But Moscow and Beijing are likely to join forces more and more as both are targeted. Will Russia stand by India then is a question to which there is no immediate answer. During the recent India-China military stand-off in Ladakh, Russia did not hesitate to send spare parts that the Indian military needed at that time. The situation will get more and more complex in the days to come. India must keep a cool head and consider all its options.