India abstains from voting on UNSC resolutions on Russia

India stuck to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “this-is-not-an-era-of-war” refrain but joined China, Brazil and Gabon to abstain from voting at the United Nations Security Council on a resolution condemning Russia’s annexation of areas it occupied in Ukraine.

Russia finally vetoed the resolution, which was moved by Albania and the United States and which would have condemned its referendums in four regions in Ukraine, declared the exercises invalid and urged all countries not to recognize any annexation of the territory.

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New Delhi’s envoy to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj, reiterated India’s call for dialogue and diplomacy to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. She also invoked the United Nations charter and stressed on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity – apparently to send out a subtle message to Moscow, where President Vladimir Putin just a few hours back announced the accession of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions of Ukraine into Russia.

“Escalation of rhetoric or tensions is in no one’s interest. It is important that pathways are found for a return to the negotiating table,” Kamboj said, adding: “Keeping in view the totality of the evolving situation, India has decided to abstain on this resolution.”

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the annexation plan as a violation of international law, warning that it marked a “dangerous escalation” in the seven-month war that began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February. “The Charter is clear”, said the UN chief. “Any annexation of a State’s territory by another State resulting from the threat or use of force is a violation of the Principles of the UN Charter”.

“Dialogue is the only answer to settling differences and disputes, however daunting that may appear at this moment, The path to peace requires us to keep all channels of diplomacy open,” Kamboj told the UN Security Council, adding: “India’s Prime Minister has unequivocally conveyed this in his discussions with world leaders, including with the Presidents of the Russian Federation and Ukraine; so has our External Affairs Minister in his recent engagements at the General Assembly last week.”

“India’s Prime Minister has also emphasized that this cannot be an era of war,” New Delhi’s envoy to the UN said, referring to Modi’s comment during his meeting with Putin on the sideline of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s summit at Samarkand in Uzbekistan on September 16.

Modi had told Putin that it was not the era of war.

She expressed New Delhi’s hope for an early resumption of peace talks to bring about an immediate ceasefire and resolution of the conflict.