India's stand at UNSC based on careful considerations, best interests of country: Foreign Secretary Shringla

Mar 01, 2022

New Delhi [India], March 1 :Justifying India's stand at UN General Assembly, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that it was based on "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.
India on Sunday (local time) abstained from voting on a resolution to call for a special emergency session of the UN General Assembly 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.
In a special briefing on Operation Ganga to bring back Indian citizens from the conflict zone of Ukraine by the Ministry of External Affairs, Shringla said, "Over the next 3 days, 26 flights have been scheduled to bring out Indian citizens apart from Bucharest and Budapest."
Meanwhile, talking about the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine, "Over the next 3 days, 26 flights have been scheduled to bring out Indian citizens apart from Bucharest and Budapest. Airports in Poland and the Slovak Republic will also be used."
He also advised Indian nationals in Kyiv to head to western parts and exit from there whenever they can.
"Had advised all our nationals in Kyiv to head to western parts and exit from there whenever they can. They can go towards Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Poland, and Moldova. 7700 nationals have exited through these routes, 2000 have returned and 4000-5000 waiting for aircraft," said Shringla.
"PM spoke to his counterparts from the Slovak Republic and Romania to seek assistance in continued support to our evacuation efforts. He has just now spoken to the President of Poland in a similar endeavor. He also received calls from Presidents of France and EU Commission,"he said.