India, Pakistan, China among 35 countries to abstain from voting on anti-Russian resolution – Times of India

New Delhi: India, along with China and Pakistan, is among 35 countries that refrained from voting on a resolution strongly condemning Russia’s actions. Ukraine and demanding that Russia Withdraw all of its military forces within its internationally recognized borders from the territory of Ukraine “immediately, completely and unconditionally”. There was strong support for the proposal, which is not legally binding but is said to express the “popular will” of the 193-member body; It was adopted with 141 votes, more than a two-thirds majority.
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While Sri Lanka and Bangladesh participated in the neighbourhood, Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan and Afghanistan voted in favor of the resolution against Russia. There was some embarrassment for Moscow as it only got support from Eritrea, Belarus, North Korea and Syria in the vote. The widespread support for this proposal was evident from the fact that it was co-sponsored by nearly 100 countries.

India’s refrain is in line with what the government described as its coherent position that allows it to reach out to both sides and find a middle ground and promote dialogue and diplomacy. India had avoided a similar resolution at the UN Security Council along with China and the United Arab Emirates. It also avoided a procedural vote to refer the matter to the UNGA.
Explaining India’s vote, Indian Ambassador TS Tirumurti called for safe and unhindered passage for all Indians, including Indian students stranded in conflict zones, especially Kharkiv, and said it was India’s top priority. He expressed condolences to the family members of the Indian student killed in Kharkiv and all civilians who lost their lives, and said India supported the international community’s call for an immediate ceasefire and safe humanitarian access to conflict zones.
Tirumurti reiterated India’s call for dialogue and diplomacy and expressed hope that the second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine would yield positive results. In what is seen as a message to Russia, he also reiterated India’s position that the United Nations Charter, international law and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected.
“We stand by our belief that differences can only be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy,” he said. PM Modi has clearly conveyed this in his discussions with world leaders including Russia and Ukraine. He underlined the urgent imperative for humanitarian access and movement of stranded citizens. We sincerely hope that the second round of talks between India and Ukraine will yield positive results.