On Thursday, India abstained in the UN General Assembly on a resolution that emphasised the importance of achieving a “comprehensive, just, and enduring peace” in Ukraine as soon as possible in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter.
The 193-member General Assembly approved a draught resolution titled “Principles of the United Nations Charter Underpinning a Comprehensive, Just, and Lasting Peace in Ukraine” proposed by Ukraine and its supporters.
The resolution, which received 141 votes in favour and 7 against, “underscores the need to achieve, as quickly as practicable, a comprehensive, just, and enduring peace in Ukraine in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter.” India was one of the 32 countries that did not vote.
It reaffirmed its commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, extending to its territorial waters, and reiterated its demand that Russia withdraw all of its military forces from Ukraine’s territory within its internationally recognised borders immediately, completely, and unconditionally, and calls for a cessation of hostilities.
Several UN resolutions in the General Assembly, Security Council, and Human Rights Council have denounced the invasion and reaffirmed the commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine in the year since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
India has continuously emphasised the need to preserve the UN Charter, international law, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states while abstaining on UN resolutions on Ukraine.
In addition, New Delhi has asked that all efforts be made to hasten the end of hostilities and the resumption of diplomatic relations.
In his speech to the high-level UN General Assembly session in September, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that India is supporting peace, negotiation, and diplomacy in this situation.
We are frequently asked whose side we are on while the Ukraine conflict rages on. Each time, we respond with a straightforward, honest response. India is and will continue to be solidly on the side of peace. We support upholding the UN Charter and its guiding principles. The only way out, according to our side, is through communication and diplomacy, Jaishankar had stated, adding that cooperating constructively is in everyone’s best interests.
India has repeatedly emphasised that the entire global South has seen “significant collateral damage” as a result of the conflict, and developing nations are bearing the brunt of its effects on the availability of food, fuel, and fertiliser.
Those who are “struggling to make ends meet, even as they stare at the growing expenses of food, of petrol, and of fertilisers,” according to Jaishankar, are on India’s side. The UNGA resolution demanded an immediate halt to attacks on Ukraine’s vital infrastructure as well as any purposeful strikes on civilian targets, such as homes, schools, and hospitals.
It urged all member states to work together in a spirit of solidarity to address the global effects of the war on food security, energy, finance, the environment, and nuclear security and safety, and emphasised that arrangements for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine should take these factors into account.
The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, told the General Assembly’s emergency extraordinary session, which resumed on Wednesday, that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a “affront to our collective conscience” and that it is “high time” to pull back from the brink.
“The one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a sombre milestone for both the Ukrainian people and the international world. That invasion offends our collective conscience. “It is a breach of the United Nations Charter and international law,” Guterres said, adding that the invasion has serious humanitarian and human rights ramifications.
In a powerful statement, Guterres stated that the war is fueling global tensions and divisions while diverting attention and resources away from other crises and important global challenges. “In the meantime, we’ve heard implied threats to deploy nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons’ so-called tactical usage is completely unacceptable. “It’s past time to take a step back from the precipice,” he added.
ALSO READ: 6.8-magnitude earthquake hits Tajikistan’s eastern region near China border
