India has once again played its friendship with Russia. India on Thursday did not participate in the vote at the United Nations General Assembly on a resolution to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council. The proposal was introduced by the US due to allegations of Russian forces killing civilians near Ukraine’s capital Kyiv.
The General Assembly, consisting of 193 member states, on Thursday voted on a resolution to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council. 93 votes were in favor and 24 against this resolution, while 58 countries did not participate in the voting. Russia has been suspended from the United Nations Human Rights Council.
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations TS Tirumurti said after voting, “India did not participate in the General Assembly today voting on the resolution to suspend the Federation of Russia from the Human Rights Council.” We did this for logical and procedural reasons. “From the beginning of the war in Ukraine till now, India has been in favor of peace, dialogue and diplomacy. We believe that shedding blood and taking lives of innocent people cannot solve any problem. If India has taken any side, it is peace and an immediate end to violence.
Since January this year, India has refused to participate in voting on several occasions in the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council on resolutions condemning Russia’s attack on Ukraine. New Delhi on Tuesday categorically condemned reports of civilian killings in Ukraine’s Bucha city and called for an independent investigation.