India on Monday voted thrice at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) against Russia’s demand for a secret ballot on a draft resolution to condemn its annexation of four regions of Ukraine.

India had earlier voted once each against Russia at the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the UNGA on another procedural matter — of inviting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to speak virtually at a debate on Ukraine. The Foreign Office had then said “we have not voted against anyone”, terming the vote “procedural”.

This time, too, the vote was procedural — on the question of whether the division at the end of a forthcoming debate in the UNGA should be open or by a secret ballot.

The real test will come when the main UNGA resolution condemning Russia comes up for a vote on Wednesday or Thursday.

Albania had moved a motion, seeking to condemn Russia’s “illegal so-called referendums” and “attempted illegal annexation” of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions.

With 107 countries at the UNGA, including India, rejecting Russia’s demand for a secret ballot, Russia appealed against the ruling by the chair and this year’s UNGA President Csaba Korosi. In all, 13 nations voted in favour of Russia and 39 abstained. Russia and China were among the countries that did not vote.

But Russia challenged the ruling. In the second vote, it got 14 votes in favour and 104 against, with 38 abstentions.

When the motion to reconsider open voting was put to vote, it got 16 votes to 104, with 34 abstentions.

Last month, India had abstained from a UNSC draft resolution to condemn the referendum in Ukraine. In the 15-member UNSC, 10 voted for the resolution while China, Gabon, India and Brazil abstained. The resolution was not passed due to a Russian veto.

The Monday’s UNGA vote came within hours of a massive Russian retaliation for the bombing of the Crimean Bridge. India has expressed deep concern over the escalation of the conflict, including the targeting of infrastructure and death of civilians.

Moscow sought secret ballot

• Moscow’s demand for a secret ballot was rejected after 107 nations voted in favour of a recorded vote; 13 voted in favour of Russia
• In the second vote, Russia got 14 votes in favour and 104 against, with 38 abstentions
• When the motion to reconsider open voting was put to vote again, Russia got 16 votes; 104 voted against it; 34 abstentions

Courtesy: The Tribune India : 12th Oct , 2022