Five votes against, 141 in favor and 35 abstentions. They are the results of the vote that took place in the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization (UN), which condemned the Russian invasion and aggression in Ukraine.
A condemnation that was majority in the Assembly, despite the four countries that voted against along with Russia, which are North Korea, Eritrea, Syria and Belarus, and which included a wide range of countries that refrained from condemning the Russian offensive for different reasons. Among them, in addition to the well-known position of China, is India. Like Beijing, the government led by Narendra Modi has not condemned the Russian invasion.
The authorities indian They directly called for the immediate de-escalation of the Russian offensive and, on the other hand, the “refrain from any action that contributes to worsening the situation“. A proposal that has been included in its position regarding the conflict in Ukraine, and that differs from what was expressed from the Chinese capital, where they ask for a solution between the parties involved through dialogue.
However, both Beijing and New Delhi maintain the ‘alliance’ with Moscow. Both agree to avoid the use of the expression ‘invasion’and the two countries open up as alternatives to help Russia in the face of the battery of financial sanctions imposed on the country presided over by Vladimir Putin by the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and other countries in the world.
India and Russia, allies with military and commercial ties
Like China, the Indian country has become a strategic ally for Moscow. Last December, Putin and Modi met in the Indian capital as part of the 21st India-Russia bilateral summit. Both countries signed a arms and defense agreement, which includes the acquisition of Russian-made S-400 anti-aircraft missiles by India.
However, things do not end there, since India agreed with Russia to buy three million barrels of Russian oil, so that the military and commercial ties between the two countries still endure. Agreements that collide with the pretensions of the White House, which wants to economically isolate Russia after Joe Biden’s announcement of the veto on imports of Russian crude, and the massive exodus of multinationals.
In addition, from the Indian Government they indicated that the talks with Moscow will continue on the purchase of more oil. In the same way that Xi Jinping wants to avoid at all costs the effect of the sanctions imposed by the West and that China not be sanctioned in the face of possible aid to Russia, Narendra Modi wants to do the same with India and avoid economic sanctions on the country. Hence the balanced position of the Indian Executive in the face of this conflict.
An alliance that comes from afar
The commercial alliance between the two countries comes from afar. The aforementioned military agreement was signed in 2018, although it is not the only one reached by India and Russia. Since the dissolution of the USSR, both countries have strengthened their bilateral relationship in all areas. Russia and India remain committed to reaching the figure of 30 billion dollars for bilateral trade in 2025.