Relevance: GS-2: Effects of Policies and Politics of Developed and Developing Countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora.

Key phrases: India abstains from Ukraine vote in UNSC,NATO,CAATSA

Why in News ?

• Recently, India abstained from the procedural vote at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) ahead of a meeting to discuss the situation on the Ukraine border.
• Ten member states, namely the US, UK, France, UAE, Ghana, Albania, Norway, Brazil, Mexico and Ireland, voted in favour of taking up the Ukraine issue.
• On the other hand, only two member states - Russia and China - voted against it.
• Meanwhile, three member states - India, Gabon and Kenya - abstained from the vote.
• The Security Council only required nine votes in favour to go ahead with the discussion.

What is the Issue?

• Russia has reportedly amassed an estimated 1,00,000 troops near its border with Ukraine.
• While Moscow denies that it has any plans to invade Ukraine, the mobilisation of troops along the Ukrainian border has resulted in repeated warnings from Nato member states.
• Russia is demanding that NATO promise never to allow Ukraine to join the military alliance, and to stop the deployment of NATO weapons near Russian borders and roll back its forces from Eastern Europe.
• The US and NATO have rejected Russia's demands but have not ruled out more talks to address the security concerns of Moscow and ease the crisis.

Key Highlights

• India’s abstention from the Security Council vote on Ukraine is widely read as a play to balance ties with Moscow and Washington and engaging “both sides of the fence”, rather than of being a “fence-sitter”.
• Moscow accuses NATO of attempting to expand its membership, and the U.S. and other NATO countries accuse Russia of amassing troops to invade Ukraine.
• In comments released by the Russian Embassy, Mr. Vershinin (Russian Deputy FM ) said he had informed “Indian friends” Moscow’s view on “Ukraine and on the tensions fanned by the Western nations, NATO and the United States, ” and the need to “ensure strategic stability in the area”.
• In New York, Russia’s U.N. envoy praised India, along with the other abstainers for resisting “hand-twisting” by the U.S.
• Western diplomats didn’t comment on India’s stand.
• Some have, however, pointed to the complete consonance between Moscow and Beijing to ask how India can be seen on the same side as China, given PLA aggressions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Russia as Destabilizing Actor

• Poland’s Ambassador Stated that
  • The current security situation in Eastern Europe unfortunately follows a pattern of precedents with the Russian Federation being the destabilizing actor in the region.
  • Unfortunately, this may have a global impact and contribute to the deterioration of international security as there are other revisionist powers which may follow suit, not to mention possible humanitarian crisis.

India’s Diplomacy

• India’s decision to abstain from voting at the Security Council subtly signalled that India would not align with the US on the issue and would not take a position directly opposed to that of Russia.
• The abstention and the emphasis of envoy to the U.N. T.S. Tirumurti on the “legitimate security interests of all countries” is seen as a repeat of 2014, when in the aftermath of Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, India had abstained from a resolution backed by Ukraine, the U.S. and the E.U. that sought to criticize Russia’s actions in a vote at the General Assembly in March, 2014.
• The then National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon had also said there were “legitimate Russian and other interests involved” in Crimea and called for a diplomatic resolution.
• India’s vote is then explained by a number of reasons including a desire to maintain its strong ties with Moscow, but at the same time, not giving Washington, that won the vote, cause to complain.
• The Biden administration is in the process of making a decision on whether to bring sanctions under its CAATSA law against India for its purchase of the S-400 Russian missile systems or to process a waiver for India given the close India-U.S. defence ties.

Way Forward

• Apart from keeping in touch “with all sides”, India should closely watch the 4-nation “Normandy Format” talks among Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France, held in Paris on January 26 that ended with all countries agreeing to uphold the 2014 ceasefire, and are due to meet again in Berlin next few days.

Source: The Hindu

Mains Question:

Q. Even as India and Russia explore new relationships, they continue to remain each other’s all weather friend. Comment. (250 words)