India abstains from voting on UNGA resolution on Myanmar

The resolution was adopted with 119 countries voting 'yes', Belarus voting 'no' and India along with 35 other countries abstaining, including China and Russia

The United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and 108 other nations voted in favour of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution in a move to step up pressure on the military junta that took power in Myanmar in a coup on February 1. India, however, decided to abstain from voting, calling the move at the UNGA to pass the resolution against the military junta of Myanmar as a “hasty course of action”.

The resolution was finally adopted by the UNGA with 119 nations voting in its favour and 36 abstaining. Belarus was the only nation to vote against the resolution that called upon the military leaders to respect the results of the elections and release the detained political leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, who was virtually heading the Government of Myanmar as State Counsellor since 2016 and again led her National League for Democracy to victory in November 2020 elections.

Not only India, but almost all other South Asian nations, including Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Bhutan, abstained from voting. Maldives, however, voted in favour of the resolution. The ASEAN was split, with Brunei, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos abstaining, while five other members of the 10-nation bloc of the Southeast Asian nations – Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia – voting in its favour. Kyaw Moe Tun, whom the UN still recognises as Myanmar’s envoy to the international organisation, also voted in favour of the resolution, although he was withdrawn and charged with treason by the military government of his country.

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“The fact that there is lack of support from all neighbouring countries (of Myanmar), as well as several countries in the region itself, should, hopefully, serve as an eye-opener to those who choose to pursue a hasty course of action,” New Delhi’s envoy to the United Nations, T S Tirumurti, said, explaining India’s decision to abstain from voting on the resolution.

India also argued that that tabling of the resolution at the UNGA for adoption at this juncture was not “conducive to aiding our joint efforts towards strengthening democratic process in Myanmar”.

New Delhi has been cautiously avoiding directly criticising military rulers in Nay Pyi Taw, ostensibly to make it sure that its stand does not give away China a strategic advantage to spread geopolitical influence in Myanmar. India has also been expanding its security cooperation with Myanmar.

“We find that our views have not been reflected in the draft being considered for adoption today. We would like to reiterate that a consultative and constructive approach involving the neighbouring countries and the region, remains important as the international community strives for the peaceful resolution of the issue,” Tirumurti said at the UNGA.