India’s Stand in the UN – Challenges for the future
Context:
- India at the UN has refused to condemn the violation of human rights of the Ukrainian citizens who are facing an armed attack by the Russian forces.
- Keeping in mind the large number of students who are in Ukraine and also the historical relations with Russia, India has been abstaining on all the forums where Russia is criticized by the western world.
Background:
- The primary thing that anchors a country’s international relations is the national interest which is true with all the nations including India.
- Russia is considered to be an all-weather friend to India, Russia has been supporting India in UNSC.
- Being a veto power at the UNSC, India has been always reliant on Russia, even in recent times on the Kashmir issue, Russia was on India’s side despite its closeness with China and Pakistan in the recent times.
- Apart from all this, India’s partnership with Russia in the defence sector since many years and its dependence on Russia makes India think about condemning Russia on any international platform.
Challenges:
- As India has aggressors on both sides of its land borders, India must think twice about its actions.
- Even India wants support from the rest of the world in case of any territorial aggression in the future, so after this action of abstaining even India might not find support from the international community.
Historical View:
- At a time when India’s abstention on the Russian invasion of Ukraine is being likened to its abstention in the UN on the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956 it would do to recognise the difference.
- In the 1950s the West was clearly unsympathetic to India, playing its card openly on the Kashmir issue at the UN as early as 1947.
- On the other hand, the Soviet Union, the precursor to the present-day Russian state, had rescued India several times by exercising its veto in the UN Security Council.
- Now, close to 75 years later, the situation has changed. Public opinion in the West does not favour unconditional support of Pakistan vis-à-vis India while Russia encourages Pakistan.
Way Forward:
- India’s dilemma on the issue can have serious consequences in the future on a global forum.
Source: THE HINDU.