India abstains on UNGA resolution condemning annexation

India has abstained from voting at the United Nations General Assembly on a resolution asking Russia to reverse the annexation of four Ukraine regions.

New Delhi, however, sent out a subtle but firm message to Moscow, stressing that the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all nations should be respected “without any exception”.

The resolution was finally adopted by the UN General Assembly, with 143 of its 193 members voting in its favour.

Only five nations — North Korea, Belarus, Nicaragua, Syria and Russia — voted against it. India, China and 33 other nations abstained from voting on the resolution.

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Ruchira Kamboj, New Delhi’s envoy to the UN, referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “this-is-not-an-era-of-war” statement, which he had made during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sideline of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s summit in Uzbekistan last month.

“My PM has said unequivocally that this cannot be an era of war. With this firm resolve to strive for a peaceful solution through dialogue and diplomacy, India has decided to abstain,” Ruchira said while presenting before the UNGA the Explanation of Vote on behalf of the Government of India.

The resolution adopted by the UNGA noted that Russia violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence. It called upon all nations, the UN and other international organisations not to recognise Russia’s annexation of the four regions — Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia – of Ukraine.

“The global order that we all subscribe to, is based on international law, the UN Charter and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all States. These principles must be upheld, without exception,” Ruchira said in the UNGA.

She said India was deeply concerned at the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, including the targeting of civilian infrastructure and civilian deaths.