First, a 15-member Security Council. Then the general assembly of 193 countries. India has abstained from holding a three-point vote on a resolution in two chambers condemning Russian military action in Ukraine. Although Moscow welcomes the decision of the Narendra Modi government, questions have already been raised in the West, including the United States. The human rights organizations of those countries, some sections of the media have already ridiculed the position of New Delhi. According to them, even though the Modi government wants to wrap up "self-reliant diplomacy", India's "abstention" from voting is essentially "pro-Russian".
The context of the long history of the Russia-India alliance is also coming up as a 'reason' for the Modi government's position in the UN. During the 1981 Bangladesh war, the question of Modi's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin about 20 times during his eight-year tenure as prime minister came up from the Moscow Military Assistance Agreement with the then Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi. The comparison between Putin and Modi's policy of governing the country is based on "extreme nationalism."
However, New Delhi has not once backed the Putin government's Ukraine policy in any international arena. Instead, Russia has repeatedly called for an end to hostilities in Ukraine and for a ceasefire before and after the UN Security Council and General Assembly abstained. It has been suggested to resolve the conflict by following the path of diplomacy by avoiding the path of military conflict. But Putin did not listen.
In that situation, many diplomats have questioned why India abstained from voting three times in a row in favor of Russia. According to them. The Modi government's stance could again make the Western world, including the US, "suspicious" of New Delhi. Once again, the process of importing arms and military equipment could fall under international sanctions.
In the days of Atal Behari Vajpayee, India was subject to various international sanctions due to its nuclear tests. Subsequently, the 1-2-3 nuclear deal with the United States led to the lifting of a number of sanctions, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NSG). Russia has bought S-400 Triumph missiles from Russia, ignoring US warnings. New Delhi's role in Ukraine is likely to jeopardize the country's overall security if new sanctions take effect.
In addition, the "push" could come from the stage of international diplomacy. In the last few years, New Delhi has consistently received the support of the Western world on the issue of 'cross-border terrorism' and 'Chinese aggression. But on the Ukraine question, Modi's position is practically on the same level as that of Imran Khan and Xi Jinping. As a result, it is doubtful how much support India will get in future confrontations with Islamabad and Beijing.
Russia's ambassador to India, Denis Olipov, said last week that Russia would not delay the supply of S-400 Triumph missiles to India due to the war in Ukraine. Two S-400 anti-missile systems have already arrived in India from Russia. Three more are expected to arrive next April.
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