India's Ukraine destiny: A foreign policy test

New Delhi must craft a consistent position on the war

The sparkling accolades India earned after Prime Minister Narendra Modi candidly expressed disapproval of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine last month dimmed somewhat after India abstained from a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Russia’s illegal referendums in four regions of Ukraine and calling for an unconditional withdrawal of troops from that country. India joined China, Brazil, and Gabon in choosing this path. It is unclear why India opted against voting for this unexceptionable resolution, which would have underlined its stated preference for dialogue instead of war. India has also consistently maintained that the global order is based