India abstains from vote in UN Human Rights Council on Ukraine crisis
Mar 04, 2022
New York [US], March 4 : India on Friday abstained from voting at the UN Human Rights Council on the establishment of an independent international inquiry commission in the aftermath of the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
The 47-member Council voted on a draft resolution on the situation of human rights in Ukraine. The resolution was adopted with 32 votes in favour, two against (Russia and Eritrea) and 13 abstentions, including India, China, Pakistan, Sudan and Venezuela.
The resolution "condemned in the strongest possible terms human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law resulting from Russia's aggression against Ukraine."
The countries voting in favour included France, Germany, Japan, Nepal, UAE, UK and the US.
"The Human Rights Council has decided to urgently establish an independent international commission of inquiry as a result of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the Council tweeted.
Earlier on Wednesday, India abstained from voting against Russia at United Nations General Assembly at the 11th emergency special session and fourth plenary meeting on the ongoing Russian military operation in Ukraine.
141 nations voted in favour of the move and five nations were against it while 35 countries abstained.
The UNGA overwhelmingly voted to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. As the results were placed on the screen in the chamber, a rare standing ovation occurred, UNGA statement said.
However, Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said that Moscow is not carrying out strikes on civilians and civilian facilities.
On Sunday (local time), India abstained from voting on a resolution to call for a special emergency session of the UNGA on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This came two days after India abstained from voting on the UNSC resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, along with China and the UAE.
Justifying India's stand at UN General Assembly, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has said that it was based "on certain careful considerations" and taken "in the best interests" of the country.
"In United Nations, we take positions that are based on certain careful considerations and certainly, we do regard the merits of each and every case that comes before us...take decisions in our best interest," Shringla said while replying to India's decision to abstain from voting on a resolution to call for a special emergency session of the UN General Assembly on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
