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BIG STORY APRIL 01, 2022 | The Indian Eye 4

IndIa on ukraIne

Firm Under Pressure?

Growing strategic convergence with the us has been valuable for India but does it come at a price?

as the russia-ukraine war gets hotter, how can India play a balancing and capacity-building roles?

OuR BuREAu

New Delhi/New York/London
n an important development on
Thursday, the UN General As-
Isembly (UNGA) adopted a reso-
lution on the humanitarian situation in
Ukraine, with 140 countries voting in
favour and five against. A total of 38
countries including India abstained.
“The General Assembly adopted a
resolution that calls out Russia’s as-
sault on Ukraine for creating a dire hu-
manitarian situation, pushes for a hu-
manitarian corridor, and demands that
fighting stops. In favour: 140 Against: 5
Abstained: 38,” the UN News tweeted.
The resolution deplores the “hu-
manitarian consequences” of Russia’s
actions.
Earlier this, India had abstained
from voting on a similar resolution
against Russia at UNGA. The UNGA
had overwhelmingly voted to condemn
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
India has been under pressure
from the western countries, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi with uS President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rome last year (ANI Photo)
the US, to condemn Russia. But India
has refused to do so. The two sides reviewed progress
As part of the process, External in various domains under the India-US
Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tues- Comprehensive Global Strategic Part-
day met US Under Secretary of State nership following up on Prime Minis-
for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland ter Narendra Modi’s discussions with
and held discussions on expanding bi- President Joe Biden in Washington in
lateral cooperation as also on the In- September 2021. Both sides welcomed
do-Pacific and the Ukraine situation. regular high-level dialogue and en-
“Pleased to meet @UnderSec- gagement, including productive meet-
StateP. Good discussion on expanding ings of bilateral mechanisms which led
our bilateral cooperation, on South to intensifying of cooperation across
Asia, Indo-Pacific and the Ukraine all pillars of bilateral agenda.
situation,” Jaishankar said in a tweet. Meanwhile, both sides looked
Nuland is visiting Bangladesh, India, forward to the India-US 2+2 Ministe-
and Sri Lanka with an interagency rial Meeting in Washington DC. They
delegation to underscore US com- agreed to hold the next FOC at a mutu-
mitment to, and cooperation with, In- ally convenient date in Washington DC.
do-Pacific partners. As the global community responds
Nuland and Foreign Secretary to the Russian military operation in
Harsh Vardhan Shringla had on Mon- Ukraine, experts have supported India
day co-chaired India-US Foreign on its stand to remain impartial at the
Office Consultations (FOC) and re- UN Security Council.
affirmed their commitment to a free, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar interacting with uS under Secretary of State for They were speaking at the virtu-
open, inclusive, peaceful and prosper- Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI Photo) al seminar hosted by The Democracy
ous Indo-Pacific. Continued at next page... >>

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