Abstaining from voting—a triumph

Since the recent hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, India has twice abstained from voting in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in the last 30 days. Among the 15 members of UN, the country earlier on January 31, 2022 abstained from procedural vote at the UNSC ahead of a meeting to discuss the situation on the Ukraine border and on 25th February, 2022, it abstained from voting on a UN Security Council resolution that condemned Russia’s “aggression” against Ukraine. Abstaining from voting has not only put an end to the thoughts claiming India’s support to Russia, but has also helped in maintaining its balanced relationship. There are certain reasons for which India is directly or indirectly involved in the Ukraine situation. Being a member of the United Nations, economic stakes in the region, presence of students and working class there from the country and others are among the reasons behind the country’s involvement in the present crisis. Moreover, India and Russia have deep historical relationships as the country is dependent on Russian military hardware, parts and technology. Voting against Russia could have cost the sanctions of the country like expanding the energy deals and many others, which were discussed in the recent meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. India has also ensured peace within the country by playing a masterstroke of abstaining from voting in UNSC as the ties between Russia and India’s adversaries could have brought the country’s opponents closer to the permanent member of UN—Russia. For now, desisting from voting has helped the country to pitch for peace and speak up with both the leadership to reach any conclusion and ensure immediate ceasefire. India, being one of the members of the United National Security Council (UNSC) after desisting from voting, has been playing a key role in ensuring peace between the two countries, asking them to sit on a table to discuss the issues through talks as it believes that dialogue is the only way out to resolve the issue. The move in the UNSC on February 25, 2022, is being viewed as the strong diplomatic policy of the country, which has not only ensured peace within India, but helped in paving for peace to other nations as well.