India is seen struggling hard to keep up its police of neutral stance on the Russia- Ukraine conflict, by not condemning Russian invasion and also absenting from voting on various resolutions proposed by USA and its allies in United Nation’s forms. India again was absent from another resolution, this time brought by Russia on humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
The resolution was not adopted by the United Nations Security Council, as it got only w yes votes from Russia and China. As many as 13 UNSC members, including India skipped voting.
The resolution demanded that “civilians, including humanitarian personnel and persons in vulnerable situations, including women and children are fully protected, calls for negotiated ceasefire for enabling safe, rapid, voluntary and unhindered evacuation of civilians, and underscores the need for the parties concerned to agree on humanitarian pauses to this end.”
But, how far Indian can maintain such neutral stand on various global forums? It will be a tricky question for it. Mainly, India is likely to face very delicate position at G20, where it is member since its inception in 1999. Moreover, for the first time India is taking its Presidency on December 1, 2022 and will be hoisting its Summit next year in the country.
US and its allies are seriously considering on the issue of pushing Russia from this `elite group’. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan asserting that it “cannot be business as usual” for Mosco, said that the US and its allies would consult whether Russia should remain within the G-20 grouping of major economics after its invasion of Ukraine.
“We believe that it cannot be business as usual for Russia in international institutions and in the international community”, he said at a news conference in White House.
“It has been made very clear to Indonesia that Russia’s presence at forthcoming ministerial meetings would be highly problematic for European countries,” said a source from the European Union, adding there was, however, no clear process for excluding a country.
US President Joe Biden, who is on a visit flew to Europe for an emergency NATO summit on Ukraine, where invading Russian troops are stalled, is likely to discuss with other countries on the questions of G20 attitude towards Russia.
Joe Biden said he thinks Russia should be removed from G20 and the topic was raised during his meetings with world leaders in Brussels. “My answer is yes, depends on the G20,” Biden said, when asked if Russia should be removed from the group. Biden also said if countries such as Indonesia and others do not agree with removing Russia, then in his view, Ukraine should be allowed to attend the meetings.
The Polish government said that it had suggested to U.S. commerce officials that Russia be replaced within the G20 group and that it had received a “positive response” from American officials. This discussion is likely results in a deeper shadow over Indonesia’s chairmanship of the grouping this year, as it will be hoisting this year’s G20 summit on October 30 and 31, 2022.
China backs Russia
Russia’s ambassador to Indonesia, which currently holds the rotating G20 chair, said Russian President Vladimir Putin intended to travel to the Indonesian resort island of Bali for the G20 summit.
Putinhas received valuable backing from Beijing in a pushback to suggestions by some members that Russia could be barred from the group. The G20 is a group that needs to find answers to critical issues, such as economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.
China, which has not condemned Russia’s invasion and criticised Western sanctions, defended Moscow, calling Russia an “important member” of the G20. “No member has the right to remove another country as a member. The G20 should implement real multilateralism, strengthen unity and cooperation,” he told a news briefing. The host Indonesia’s foreign ministry declined to comment on calls for Russia to be excluded from the G20.
How, India would respond to such a move? It will be taken seriously by other countries. As India is heading the elite forum, later this year it is not so easy for it to continue maintain neutral stand. It cannot distance itself from Russia and at the same time may not endorse US and European point of view.
But with a G20 foreign ministers meeting scheduled for June, and Western resolve over Russia only hardening in the wake of the latter’s escalating attacks on civilian populations in eastern Ukraine, it is unlikely that both Indonesia and India can avoid a decision for much longer, as both are hosting new two successive Summits.
USA unhappy with India’s stand
It is no secret that America is less than happy with India’s position on Russia and has been urging India to move away from its dependency on the country. The Ukraine crisis has intensified the differences between India and US on the issue of Russia.
US President Joe Biden as already expressed his displeasure over India’s `neutral’ stand Ukraine conflict stating that among its major allies, India was an exception in its response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Biden termed India’s stand “shaky”.
Not mincing words, Biden said: “The Quad is, with the possible exception of India being somewhat shaky on some of this, but Japan has been extremely strong — so has Australia — in terms of dealing with Putin’s aggression (sic).” Biden was addressing a meeting of US business leaders in Washington.
Not mincing words, Biden said: “The Quad is, with the possible exception of India being somewhat shaky on some of this, but Japan has been extremely strong — so has Australia — in terms of dealing with Putin’s aggression (sic).” Biden was addressing a meeting of US business leaders in Washington.
Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison during their recent meetings with Indian counterpart Narendra Modi have openly lamented Russian aggression on Ukraine, but Indian Prime Minister was practically `silent’ in their company, on recent developments on Russian borders.
In an interview to NDTV, Victoria Nuland, the deputy secretary of state on a visit to India, echoed Biden’s stance. “Democracies now really need to stand together and evolve their position vis-a-vis Russia because of the choices Putin has made,” she said.
The Russian invasion united Europe against Russia, aligned Europe with America and pushed Russia and China closer together. America is not the only partner pushing India to take a stand. EU ambassadors in the national capital have also urged South Block to take a stand, according to reports.
Bruno Macaes, a Portuguese politician who served as the secretary of state for European affairs for Portugal, was in India to attend the Jaipur Literature Festival last week. In an exclusive interview to THE WEEK, Macaes emphasised the need for India to take a stand. “A country like India cannot be indifferent. It is a role of a great power.”
However, Quad nations had accepted India’s position on the Ukraine-Russia war and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was clearly using his office to call for an end to the conflict, said Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell.
While Russia is satisfied with India’s neutrality, the US wants India to change its stand and join the West in condemning Russia. India is caught between two opposing blocks, both of whom are pulling for its support. But, for India national interests remain `top priority’ so that to play key role in global affairs in coming days, without attaching itself with a particular `block’.
Jai Shankar asserts India’s position
However, asserting India’s position External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India’s foreign policy decisions are made in “national interest” and guided by the belief that the international order “must respect territorial integrity and sovereignty of states”. He also said that India calls “for immediate cessation of violence” and “stands for peace”.
“We are very clear on our principles. Our policy is very much guided by our belief that the international order must respect territorial integrity and sovereignty of states…” Jaishankar told the Rajya Sabha while responding to a question on the Russia- Ukraine conflict, on March 24, 2022.
He said India’s position is not that the situation involving Russia and Ukraine “is not our problem. Stating that India’s position on Ukraine is concerned, he said that it is very clear and it is based on six principles:
- One, that we call for immediate cessation of violence and to all hostilities. We stand for peace.
- Two, we believe that there is no other way than a return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy.
- Three, we believe, we recognise that the global order is anchored on international law, UN charters and respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states.
- Four, we call for humanitarian access to the conflict situation.
- Five, we ourselves give humanitarian assistance, we have given 90 tonnes of humanitarian assistance so far and we are looking at providing more, especially medicines.
- And six, we are in touch with the leadership of both the Russian federation and Ukraine on this matter.
Jai Shankar also asserted that India is fully cognizant of “all changes” which are happening in the international order “including between Russia and China and between a lot of other countries”
No policy of exclusion
Meanwhile, but any move to exclude Russia would probably be vetoed by others in the group, raising the prospect of some countries instead skipping G20 meetings, the sources said. Many observers felt that Russia’s ejection from the G20 is not so easy.
For one thing, there is no clear process for expelling a country from the grouping. For another, while the original G8 political forum suspended Russia following its annexation of Crimea in 2014, there is a good chance that one of the G20’s members, which include China, India, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia, would veto such a move.
The G20 is a prominent international gathering that includes 19 of the world’s most powerful economies and the European Union, with its members accounting for more than 80% of global GDP, 75% of worldwide commerce, and 60% of global population.
Since 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has led India’s delegation to G20 summits. It is the premier forum for international economic cooperation that plays an important role in global economic governance.
India was originally expected to be president of the G20 in 2022, coinciding with the 75th year of the country’s independence. It had arranged a swap with Italy, which was to be the chair in 2022 but agreed to take on the presidency in 2021.
During the G20 Summit in November 2020, India made another swap with Indonesia, which took on the presidency for 2022.
The Union cabinet on February 15, 2022 has formally approved the setting up of a G20 Secretariat and related structures that will implement policy decisions and be responsible for arrangements for India’s forthcoming presidency of the group in 2023.
The G20 Secretariat will handle work related to knowledge, content, technical, media, security and logistical aspects of India’s presidency of the inter-governmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union (EU).
India will be a member of the G20 Troika (preceding, current, and incoming G20 Presidency) from December 1, 2021 to November 30, 2024, according to a statement from the ministry of external affairs The government also named commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal as India’s G20 Sherpa.
