India makes its independent stand clear at UNSC and IAEA

NEW DELHI: India’s diplomatic deftness was on display at the two elite global forums on Friday—United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). At UNSC, India not only succeeded in justifying its Ukraine stand and reaffirming its independent foreign policy, while abstaining on a draft resolution condemning Russia, but also managed to deprive the West of any chance to bracket it with China in abstention. The abstention also by Brazil and Gabon shattered the western propaganda that “India was with China on resolution against Russia”. At IAEA, India’s “diplomatic action” forced China to withdraw its resolution against AUKUS (a trilateral security pact among Australia, the UK and the US), which came as a breather for the three nations. All these countries appreciated Delhi’s efforts to block Beijing’s resolution.
India could make it possible after working closely with many IAEA member states to ensure that the draft resolution, which argued that the AUKUS initiative violated the responsibilities of Australia, the UK and the US under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), did not get majority support. India helped several smaller countries to take a clear stand against the resolution. After this, China was forced to withdraw it.
This was another message by India on the international stage that it cannot be with any country involved in any unfair, illegal and unjustifiable exercise whether it was China or any other from the West or the East. “This is how India is pursuing its independent foreign policy. No country from the West or elsewhere can determine or dictate what course of action Delhi has to take on any issue,” says a senior diplomat.
“That India was not alone with China in abstaining couldn’t be possible without a lot of diplomatic exercises at the UN. A team of experienced diplomats led by Ruchira Kamboj, Delhi’s permanent representative to the UN, were in touch and regular communication with the envoys of Brazil and the African country Gabon. The foreign ministers were also spoken with. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also met with his Brazilian counterpart on the sidelines of BRICS, during which the Ukraine issue was discussed threadbare,” top diplomatic sources told The Sunday Guardian.
“Ministers were explained why the entire strife and the problem between Ukraine and Russia should be viewed and analysed in totality and not in isolation of condemning one party or the other. Escalation, which such resolutions are bound to fuel, are going to achieve nothing at the end of the day. Only dialogue and diplomacy must be sought,” sources told this newspaper.
“Though the decision was taken by Brazil and Gabon independently without any pressures from any side, India’s logic was convincing for them,” sources said. Brazil and Gabon’s decision to abstain was of diplomatic importance for India, given the fact that it helped India to counter the West’s agenda that “Delhi has been with Beijing on the UN resolutions critical of Russian invasion”.
“What happened to their agenda when India came to the rescue of the UK and US at IAEA by forcing Beijing to withdraw its resolution against their nuclear plan with Australia?” a diplomat asks. So, Delhi’s diplomatic messages are loud and clear. One, its Ukraine stand is undiluted and cannot be changed under any pressure. Two, India’s foreign policy is independent of any outside influence. Three, India’s abstention from voting should not be seen as the country being with China. Four, India is always against injustice, illegality and oppressive acts like the ones taking place in some parts of China. India’s positioning at IAEA speaks volumes about how Beijing’s bid was thwarted there.
Diplomats say that the global community has got the message that India has a clear understanding and perception of national interest. India’s logic has been that the evolving Ukraine situation should be seen in totality while voting on any draft resolution. “The draft resolution condemning the annexation of Ukraine territory by Russia had enough potential to add fuel to the fire which India cannot subscribe to,” says an official.
India was among four countries that abstained on a draft resolution at the UNSC condemning the so-called referenda organised by Russia across four regions of Ukraine. The UNSC resolution, sponsored by the United States and Albania, failed to pass the 15-member Council on Friday afternoon, despite winning ten supporting votes, after Russia used a veto to block it. India, China, Brazil and Gabon abstained during voting. India abstained on the resolution “keeping in view the totality of the evolving situation”, its Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UNPR), Ruchira Kamboj said.