India\'s approach to the Ukraine conflict will continue to be people-centric: Kamboj

New Delhi/New York: Ahead of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting scheduled to be held in New Delhi on March 1 and 2, India early on Friday abstained from voting in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on a resolution that reaffirmed commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, reiterated the demand that Russia immediately withdraw all its military forces from Ukraine, called for a cessation of hostilities and emphasised the need to reach a "comprehensive, just and lasting peace" in Ukraine in line with the principles of the UN Charter.

Friday also saw the global observance of the first anniversary of the start of the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, with the Ukraine conflict dragging on in the past one year with no solution in sight. India meanwhile also slammed Pakistan after it referred to Jammu and Kashmir during the special session on Ukraine in the UNGA.

The 193-member General Assembly adopted the draft resolution, put forward by Ukraine and its supporters, titled 'Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine' in which 141 nations voted in favour, 32 nations including India abstained  and seven voted against. New Delhi questioned whether the UN Security Council (UNSC), based "on a 1945-world construct" has not been rendered ineffective in resolving the conflict, adding that given the resolution's "inherent limitations in reaching our desired goal of securing a lasting peace, we are constrained to abstain". 

It may be recalled that India has abstained during the voting on all the resolutions so far in the past one year at the UNSC and UNGA that have been directly critical of Russia. New Delhi has also so far not condemned the Russian military offensive in Ukraine but has supported the need to respect territorial integrity of nations.

In the Explanation of Vote after the resolution was adopted, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ms. Ruchira Kamboj was quoted by news agencies as saying that as the General Assembly marks a year of the Ukrainian conflict, "it is important that we ask ourselves a few pertinent questions. Are we anywhere near a possible solution acceptable to both sides? Can any process that does not involve either of the two sides, ever lead to a credible and meaningful solution? Has the UN system, and particularly its principal organ, the UN Security Council, based on a 1945-world construct, not been rendered ineffective to address contemporary challenges to global peace and security?"

Reiterating that India remains steadfastly committed to multilateralism and upholds the principles of the UN Charter, she added, "We will always call for dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable way out. While we take note of the stated objectives of today's resolution, given its inherent limitations in reaching our desired goal of securing a lasting peace, we are constrained to abstain."

"Instead an urgent return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy is the way forward … India's approach to the Ukraine conflict will continue to be people-centric. We are providing both humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and economic support to some of our neighbours in the Global South under economic distress, even as they stare at the escalating costs of food, fuel, and fertilisers, which has been a consequential fallout of the ongoing conflict," Ms. Kamboj said.

Meanwhile, India slammed Pakistan after it referred to J&K during the special session on Ukraine  UNGA, terming the provocation as "regrettable and misplaced" and calling out Islamabad's track record of harbouring and providing safe havens to terrorists with impunity.

"I'm taking the floor today to say that India chooses this time not to respond to Pakistan's mischievious provocations. Our advice to the delegate of Pakistan is to refer to our numerous Rights of Reply that we have exercised in the past," Counsellor in India's Permanent Mission to the UN Mr. Pratik Mathur was quoted as saying.

"Pakistan has only to look at itself and its own track record as a state that harbours and provides safe havens to terrorists and does so with impunity. Such uncalled for provocation is particularly regrettable and certainly misplaced at a time when after two days of intense discussions, we have all agreed that the path of peace can be the only path forward to resolve conflict and discord," Mr. Mathur added.