New Delhi:
India on Friday abstained on a US-sponsored UN Security Council resolution that deplored in the strongest terms Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. New Delhi said dialogue is the only answer to settling differences and disputes and voiced “regret” that the path of diplomacy was given up.
The resolution did not pass as permanent member Russia used its veto. In the 15-member UN Security Council, the resolution received 11 votes in favour and three abstentions, including by India, China and the UAE.
As India tries to maintain a tough diplomatic balance on the Russia-Ukraine war, it used strong words on Russia’s actions but stopped short of voting against it.
Before the vote, the US had dialed up pressure on India to commit to a stronger response to Russia’s Ukraine invasion.
On Thursday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, speaking to Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, had stressed on the importance of a “strong collective response” to condemn what America called Russia’s “premeditated, unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine”.
Hours later, India stayed firm on its stand at the UNSC vote, and later issued a sharp Explanation of Vote that called for a return to the path of diplomacy.
“India is deeply disturbed by the recent turn of developments in Ukraine,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador TS Tirumurti, said, explaining India’s abstention.
