For a third time at the United Nations Security Council, India has refused to vote against Russia, this time on a resolution condemning Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine. India abstained on a UNSC resolution moved by the United States and Albania against Russian “aggression” against Ukraine. However, unlike the subtle and balanced approach in the first two votes where India quietly abstained, there has been a sharp turn in India’s diplomatic language and behaviour towards Russia after its invasion of Ukraine and its march towards the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
India has clearly sharpened its approach towards Russia, and rather than appeasing its Western partners, New Delhi is sending a direct message to Moscow— first, with a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security chaired by PM Narendra Modi; second, a phone call between PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin where the Indian Prime Minister implored Russia to end the violence; and third, the February 26 UNSC vote against Russia where India abstained but finally invoked “respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states,” and stated that it was “deeply disturbed” by the recent events, in what can be seen as a public disapproval of Russia’s actions in Ukraine. This could be read by Russia as a moment from where India too starts to run out of patience with Moscow— An unusual moment in India-Russia relations.
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Starting with the UNSC vote on 26 Feb, where India abstained but put out a statement explaining the vote. More than an explanation, the Explanation of Vote appears to be a message to Moscow. In the EOV, TS Tirumurthi, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN states that it is “deeply disturbed by the recent turn of developments in Ukraine” and calls for an “immediate cessation of violence and hostilities.” India, notably, also invoked the UN Charter, international law and “respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states”, and this is perhaps the first time India used this language in the context of the current situation between Russia and Ukraine. “It is a matter of regret that the path of diplomacy was given up. We must return to it,” India’s representative stated further.
Prime Minister Modi’s phone call to President Putin too made a strong statement. After the Cabinet Committee on Security, hours after the Russian incursion into Ukraine started, PM Modi spoke to Putin on the phone, calling for “an immediate cessation of violence” and a return to diplomacy. While the Indian press release mentioned these details, the Russians pruned out the portion where PM Modi called for a stop to the violence. Instead, the Russian readout mentioned Putin’s “clarification” highlighting “Kiev’s aggressive actions against the civilian population of Donbass, as well as its long-lasting destructive policy to scrap the Minsk Agreements.” While Russia scraped off a significant detail in PM Modi’s statement, Putin’s clarification to Modi was not detailed in the Indian readout. This hints at a level of discomfort between the two nations caused by Russia’s unprecedented actions in Ukraine.
Looking back at Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, India’s position was measured and yet it tipped in favour of Moscow. The then Indian NSA, Shivshankar Menon, had stated that there were “legitimate Russian and other interests involved.” A stark difference between 2014 and now is that the Russian advance into Crimea was a bloodless one and the annexation was smoothly done with little resistance from the people there. Today, however, the fighting in Ukraine, especially the Russian advance into Kyiv has complicated matters even for its strategic partner, India.
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This outlines a significant aspect of India’s stand. While India is not moved by the West’s sermons and has maintained its balanced position by abstaining from yet another UNSC vote against Russia, it is hinting that India’s position should not be taken for granted by Moscow and that the violence in Ukraine must end immediately.
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