Name : Yashashwini Kashyap

Class : 11th

Parents : saroj kumari

e-mail sarojkashyap.456@gmail.com

phone number : 9509289184

School: Delhi Public School, Pal road , jodhpur

D.O.B.: 10-07-2006

Topic: India’s diplomatic stand on the Russia – Ukraine war

In favour of the motion

They say a good friend is like a four leaf Clover hard to find and lucky to have. India has also found
his friend in Russia. Over decades Russia and India have maintained strong friendly ties but India’s
balancing act on the war in Ukraine is becoming more difficult as India has always had quite peaceful
and certainly profitable, friendly ties with Russia but due to India’s humanitarian policies, India has
also offered relief to Ukraine but new Delhi’s new stance in world politics has quite profoundly
rendered it as an emerging key mediator.

As Russia’s war in Ukraine unfolds, India’s national interest has so far dictated positions of formal
neutrality. As a pupil who is quite interested in world politics I am in firm belief of the policy of
neutrality India has thus far maintained. India has till now abstained from openly calling out Russia
as the instigator of crisis. I’m undoubtedly in favour of India’s neutral policy because both China and
Pakistan who have over centuries became class enemies of India show interests in harvesting ties
with Russia that are far more stronger than what India is comfortable with. India sees both China
and Pakistan as immediate threats and breaking ties with Russia will no doubt undermine India
safety.

India friendly ties with Russia shows an impact on India’s economy as well. Sharing ties with such a
superpower like Russia while India is still on the path of becoming a superpower can deeply affect the
development that has taken place.

Till now India has imported between 1.27 two 1.42 million barrels of Russian crude per day which
makes up to 28% of India supplies in January. Russia has become India’s 4th largest trading partner
with imports from the spiking fivefold to dollar 32.9 billion during April December. Russia is also a
huge supplier of fertilisers to India. In addition to this India began to import weapons from Russia in
1950s. Russia has been the largest arms supplier to India since 1970s. Today , 60% of India’s military
hardware inventory is from Russia and the bulk of India’s licence based defence manufacturing
comes from Russia.

India and Russia share public sector heavy economic philosophy and extensive Soviet aids. To
conclude it all, here are the points that one must keep in mind before we are to condemn Russia:-

1.Russia is a huge supplier of weaponry to India. Breaking ties with Russia will threaten our military
devices

2.the largest amount of crude oil from Russia

3. Russia safeguards India safety from China and Pakistan.

To Sum it up , India benefits from Russia a superpower, are of immense value.

I ask the reader , would it be a wise decision to break ties with a country of such immense power and
profitability just to partake actions that could be harmful for our very own development.

Keeping in mind that India is still developing economy , getting involved in war of such a scale would
not only restrict the progress but also put India in the middle of a raging war ruining aspiring
development. Breaking ties with Russia will give birth to a threatening future of the India's military
safety. It would also mean abandoning the NRIs residing in Russia which account up to 30,000 in
figures.

There is an old saying that one must not poke his or her nose where it does not belong and India by
no means should position itself in this massacre. It would be quite an irrational decision to break ties
with Russia therefore India must firmly stand on its stance of neutrality in the war.

Against the motion

Mahabharata , the legend of legends , a tale that displays the valour of pandavas. From this tale ,
there is one anecdote that the writer would like to have some light on. The strongest in the greatest
Archer Karna , is not recognised as the strongest in greatest Archer. Why , you ask? Because Karna
opted to stand on the side of kauravas , the erroneous ones. Had he chosen to stand with pandavas ,
not only his excellency in his abilities but his ethics and goodness would have been known worldwide.
The significance of this anecdote which the writer has highlighted is that one should choose very
carefully the cause and team they are fighting for. Currently India's stance in Russia Ukraine war is
diplomatically neutral but I believe that to stay silent when something lawless is happening is a way
of indirectly supporting the lawless. India’s silence clearly indicates that non transparently they are
supporting Russia , which I as a pupil find abhorrent.

India has abstained from openly calling out Russia as the instigator of crisis which is I believe not an
intelligible decision and I can’t bring myself to agree with this decision. I am undoubtedly against this
neutrality that India has thus far displayed.

The United nations Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted a resolution that agreed to establish a
Commission to investigate Russia’s military attack on Ukraine and India has abstained from voting to
probe Russian actions. This might put India against the 196 states of the UN that have ratified the
convention , as I said quite an unintelligible decision.

To add to it , India , who stands shoulder to shoulder with the United States of America in opposing
Chinese assertiveness in indo Pacific while at the same time appearing vastly tolerant of the Russian
belligerence might put India against a superpower like the US which could be quite treacherous for a
developing country like India.

Furthermore India’s foreign policies clearly highlight the opposition of imperialism and it would be
the height of hypocrisy to not oppose Russia.

Even as I say this I am acutely aware of the fact that India and Russia have had a very healthy and
friendly business and political relationship and it would be very difficult to oppose Russia , but even if
it is difficult it is the rightful thing to do. India also needs to remember that India has extensive
bilateral relationship with Ukraine spanning all spheres of coordination.
I’m very consciously aware of the fact that I have been just stating the problems and not the
solutions but here’s a thing new Delhi’s new stance on world political stage allows it to emerge as a
mediator.

Diplomats and foreign policy experts are watching closely to see if India can use its unique leverage
as the worlds largest countries that is friends with both east and West to press Russia to end its war
in Ukraine

Peacemaking could also carve a more prominent place for India in the global order and
possibly bring it closer to a long-sought prize of a fairer power distribution—a permanent
seat on the United Nations Security Council.
As the world’s largest democracy, however flawed it may be, and a top troop-contributor to
UN peacekeeping, India is uniquely placed to play the role of an intermediary between
Ukraine and Russia.
As the up incoming superpower it’s India’s responsibility to intervene as a impartial player.
India has walked the diplomatic tightrope and it has won credibility from both Russia and
Ukraine as a mediator between them. Therefore it’s India’s responsibility to step in and
present aides and solutions before this crisis becomes a global war .
I ask of you readers , India, who is known for it’s goodness, kindness, ethics and empathy ,
should she not partake as a peacemaker?? Is it not India’s responsibility intervene and take
every step in the way to the utmost extent to stop this massacre. Is it not our humanitarian
policy , to help and aid a country who is being targeted for no fault of its own ?
To sum it all the writer is in firm belief that India should quit being neutral and must
intervene to stop this war because as said wisely , there is no development where there is no
peace.
In conclusion , I will end with some wise words from Winston Cburcbill – “human race
wishes to have a prolonged and indefinite period of material prosperity they have they have
only got to behave in a peaceful and helpful way towards one another.”