One Year of Russia-Ukraine Conflict: How India emerged as a peacemaker, while China’s neutrality became doubtful

India has remained consistent in its position of calling for a peaceful resolution through dialogue since Russia invaded Ukraine last year on 24 February. Despite Western pressure to explicitly criticise Russia for the war, New Delhi has adhered to its diplomatic strategy on the conflict. On Thursday, India once again abstained from voting in a 193-member United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution that condemned Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.

Excerpts from PR @ruchirakamboj’s explanation of vote at the #UNGA Emergency Special Session on #Ukraine today. pic.twitter.com/tUptpHj09j

— India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) February 24, 2023

The resolution, which underlined a “comprehensive, just and lasting peace” in Ukraine, was backed by 141 nations, with 32 abstaining and seven voting against it. Besides India, China, Iran and South Africa were among those who abstained from the vote. While New Delhi has time and again played peacemaker in the Ukraine war, Beijing’s neutrality has come into question in the last year. Let’s take a look at how India’s position has evolved in the course of a year of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and why China’s role as a mediator has become doubtful. India’s evolved stance Since the beginning of the invasion, India has abstained from voting on the resolutions at the UN and its bodies condemning Russia’s war. In the early stages of the war, without naming Russia, India said it was “deeply disturbed” by the events in Ukraine.

While abstaining from the votes, India has maintained that its approach to the conflict is “people-centric”, pointing out that peaceful dialogue was the only way out.

Last April, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in the Lok Sabha that India would be “glad” to bring a resolution to the crisis in Ukraine. “We believe no solution can be arrived at by shedding blood and at the cost of innocent lives. In this day and age, dialogue and diplomacy are the right answers to any dispute and this should be borne in mind. If India has chosen a side — it is the side of peace and it is for an immediate end to violence. This is our principled stand and it has consistently guided our position in international forums and debates, including in the United Nations,” he said, as per The Hindu. India called for “cessation of violence and hostilities” and emphasised on respect for “territorial integrity and sovereignty” “We continue to reiterate that the global order is anchored on international law, the UN Charter and respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of states,” India’s Permanent Representative at the UN Ruchira Kamboj said last August. “India continues to advocate for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an end to violence. We encourage talks between Ukraine and Russia.” [caption id=“attachment_12202152” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] India has said it was ‘deeply disturbed’ by the events in Ukraine. Reuters File Photo[/caption] However, as the conflict progressed, New Delhi expanded its approach. After mass graves and bodies of civilians in Ukraine’s Bucha came to light in April last year following the withdrawal of Russian troops, India “unequivocally condemned” the killings, calling for an independent investigation into the “deeply disturbing reports”. This was India’s strongest remark at the UN meeting since Russia started the war. India has also provided humanitarian assistance to Kyiv, while Ukraine and its neighbouring countries helped New Delhi during the relief and evacuation operation of around 22,500 Indian nationals last February-March. New Delhi has underscored the impact of the war on fertilisers, fuel and food security, especially in developing countries. As the conflict continued, India also expressed concern over Russia’s threat of deploying nuclear weapons in the war. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also spoken to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin multiple times since the war began to convey India’s position. When Modi met Putin last September on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand, he told the Russian leader that the “era of war” is over. [caption id=“attachment_12202122” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] PM Narendra Modi told Russian president Vladimir Putin that the ’era of war’ is over. Reuters File Photo[/caption] The Indian prime minister’s statements received widespread praise and were also reflected in the G20 Bali declaration. China’s doubtful role China’s “no limits” friendship with Russia has raised questions about its role in the Ukraine conflict as a peacemaker. Beijing has not only refused to condemn Russia’s invasion but also does not refer to it as such, noted The Associated Press (AP). While Chinese president Xi Jinping has spoken regularly to Putin since the war, he has not engaged with Zelenskyy, as per Reuters. 

In the position paper issued by China’s Foreign Ministry today, Beijing called for a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.

The 12-point peace proposal to end the fighting included an end to Western sanctions against Russia, ensuring the export of grains after disruptions hiked global food prices last year, setting up humanitarian corridors for civilians and taking measures to keep nuclear facilities safe, as per AP. Saying there are “no winners in conflict wars”, the proposal asked for “direct dialogue” and “relaxation of the situation”. Reiterating China’s position, it also said: “Nuclear weapons cannot be used, and nuclear war cannot be fought.” This comes days after Wang Yi, the Chinese Communist Party’s most senior foreign policy official, visited Moscow. Putin, who met the top Chinese diplomat, hailed ties between the two countries, saying the Kremlin expects the Chinese president to visit Russia. [caption id=“attachment_12202162” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] China’s role as a peacemaker in Russia-Ukraine war has come into question. AP File Photo[/caption] Despite its call for peace, analysts are unsure of China’s role as a peace mediator. They say that China’s repeated display of its “rock solid” relationship with Russia and backing Moscow’s position on the war “undermines its posture of neutrality”, reported Reuters. “At the moment China’s peace effort will stay at the rhetorical level,” Li Mingjiang, associate professor of international relations at Singapore’s S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, told Reuters. “It’s difficult to imagine China taking actual action to mediate between Russia and Ukraine any time soon… this is China’s small posture change, not any substantive policy adjustment on the war,” he added. While China has said it is neutral in the war, the United States has expressed doubts due to Beijing’s ties with Moscow. America’s assertion that China was considering supplying weapons to Russia has been denied by Beijing. Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Beijing’s Renmin University, said China’s peace proposal “does not change but combines its comprehensive positions on the crisis and war in Ukraine”. China’s stance “always falls far short of Russia’s preference but still meets with criticism from the West and its allies, Shi was quoted as saying by AP.  “China feels it necessary to repeat its self-perceived neutrality at this juncture, to save some international inference by not only criticising NATO but also distinguishing itself from Russia’s behavior,” he added. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News,  Trending News,  Cricket News,  Bollywood News, India News and  Entertainment News here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.