Relevance: GS-2 : Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Key phrases: UNGA, India and Russia in the UN, India US relationship, Russia-Ukraine Conflict,

Why in News ?

• Recently, top US diplomat Donald Lu told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the United States has been working towards persuading India to vote with other countries in the United National General Assembly against Russia's aggression on Ukraine.
• He also mentioned that those attempts have failed so far as "we have seen a number of abstentions".

Key Highlights

• India abstained from a vote on the UNGA resolution that deplored Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the third time at a UN platform in a week.
• On 25 February, India had abstained on a similar resolution placed in the UN Security Council, which was ultimately vetoed by Russia.
• The UNGA resolution was adopted with 141 votes in favour, five member states voting against and 35 abstentions.
• The General Assembly broke into an applause as the resolution was adopted.
• The resolution required a 2/3 majority to be adopted in the General Assembly.

India-US Relationship

• Testifying before Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism on the issue of “India-US relationship”, Lu told lawmakers that-
  • America’s relationship with India is one of the defining partnerships that will determine the security of Asia, of the US and of the world.
  • It’s a relationship that the US has to get right.
  • Since 2011, India has reduced its arms imports from Russia by 53% and increased its defense purchases from the US and other partners as well as increasing its own domestic production capability.
  • At the same time, US defense sales to India have grown to over $20 billion and India is considering purchasing an additional six P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft for $2.1 million
  • The majority of defense systems acquired by India over the past decade have been from the US and Europe.
  • During the global pandemic, India's biopharmaceutical industry has emerged as a key producer to the United States and the rest of the world of PPE therapeutics and vaccines.

India and Russia in the United Nations

India’s tilt towards Russia has been evident in the way the two countries have interacted with each other in the United Nations.

• Invasion of Afghanistan
  • India supported the Soviet Union or abstained from voting on a number of issues such as Czechoslovak intervention of 1968 or on the invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s.
• Russia’s annexation of Crimea
  • The UN General Assembly had adopted a resolution on Russia’s annexation of Crimea, after the Security Council failed to act due to the Russian veto.
  • India and China had both abstained in the voting of the resolution, adopted by UNGA in March 2014.
• UN interventions in Kashmir
  • The Soviet Union was the only country to veto resolutions in the UN Security Council against UN interventions in Kashmir in 1957, 1962 and 1971.
• Goa liberation movement of 1961
  • Russian veto had helped India during the Goa liberation movement of 1961.
  • The US, UK, France and Turkey had proposed a resolution in the United Nations condemning the Indian invasion in Goa and asking the country to withdraw its forces.
• Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971
  • The Russian veto was crucial in determining India’s victory in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971.
  • The US had passed a resolution in the Security Council demanding a ceasefire and withdrawal of armed forces by India and Pakistan.
  • The Russians once again had vetoed the resolution, allowing India to keep fighting for the cause, which eventually led to the liberation of Bangladesh.
• Nuclear Weapons Test
  • The Soviet Union has also stood against India, the most important among them being when India decided to carry out a nuclear weapons test in 1974.
• Expansion of the Security Council
  • Another issue on which the Soviet Union was sternly opposed was the expansion of the Security Council.
  • Indian ambassador to the UN Brijesh Mishra proposed expansion of the non-permanent members of the Security Council in 1979, which the Soviet Union opposed along with the other four permanent members as well.
• On the other hand, India opposed the Soviets on the issue of collective security in Asia.

Conclusion

• The United States continues to engage with India and around the world to discuss the importance of a strong collective response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• India has expressed its deep concern over the situation in Ukraine and has reiterated its call for immediate cessation of violence and an end to hostilities.
• As India has stated, “all member states of the United Nations are not only obliged to follow the UN Charter but to respect international law and territorial integrity and sovereignty of states

Source: Economic Times, Indian Express

Mains Question:

Q. “India maintained its consistent, steadfast and balanced position on the matter” . Critically examine the statement with reference to India’s repeated abstentions against Russia at the UN.