India, Close Partner of U.S. and Russia, Seeks Balance, Diplomacy on Ukraine

India, a close partner of both the United States and Russia, is seeking to balance its strategic relationships with the two major powers as tensions over Ukraine reverberate beyond Eastern Europe and resonate throughout the international community.

In a statement delivered to a U.N. Security Council meeting called by the U.S. on Monday, Indian permanent representative T.S. Tirumurti said New Delhi was closely following the latest developments as Russia continued to amass troops, equipment and supplies near the border with Ukraine. Moscow officials have repeatedly rejected speculation on any impending invasion but have also demanded a halt to NATO's eastward expansion, leaving Europe and the world on edge.

Tirumurti said India hoped to see a diplomatic resolution to the standoff. "India's interest is in finding a solution that can provide for immediate de-escalation of tensions, taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long-term peace and stability in the region and beyond," he said.

He said Indian officials "have been in touch with all concerned parties," adding that "it is our considered view that the issue can only be resolved through diplomatic dialogue."

Tirumurti also welcomed recent talks held in Paris by the so-called Normandy Format members France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine in which the latter two agreed to respect a cease-fire in the eastern Donbas region where Moscow-aligned separatists have clashed with security forces since a 2014 pro-West political uprising in Kyiv. Efforts to ease the conflict through back-to-back accords known as the Minsk Agreements have repeatedly unraveled, but Tirumurti encouraged all sides to stick to the deals.

"We urge all parties to continue to engage through all diplomatic channels and to keep working towards the full implementation of the 'Minsk Package,'" Tirumurti said. "Quiet and constructive diplomacy is the need of the hour. Any steps that increase tension may best be avoided by all sides in the larger interest of securing international peace and security."

He also noted that more than 20,000 Indian students and nationals are living and studying across Ukraine, including near restive border regions, and that "the well-being of Indian nationals is of priority to us."

"I reiterate our call for the peaceful resolution of the situation by sincere and sustained diplomatic efforts to ensure that concerns of all sides are resolved through constructive dialogue," Tirumurti said.

But as geopolitical divisions continue to run deep over the Ukraine crisis, even Monday's Security Council meeting proved controversial.

Moscow dismissed the gathering as a publicity stunt, arguing that such talks were unnecessary at the U.N. level given the other formats being pursued. Russia was joined by fellow permanent member China in voting against the meeting, but the U.S. garnered 10 votes in favor, with three abstentions—from India and the African nations of Gabon and Kenya.

India also pursued separate bilateral talks with Russia regarding Security Council issues on Monday. The dialogue took place in New Delhi, led by Indian External Affairs Ministry Secretary (West) Reenat Sandhu and Russian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Vasilyevich Vershinin. A separate meeting was held by Vershinin and Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who previously served as New Delhi's ambassador to Washington.

The Indian side's readout described "wide ranging discussions on issues on the UN Security Council agenda and related developments" as Russia prepares to assume the rotating 15-member body's presidency in February.

"Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation on issues of mutual interest at multilateral platforms," the Indian External Affairs Ministry said in a readout. "The Russian delegation briefed India on its priorities during 76th session of the UN General Assembly. Both sides also agreed to work closely together, given the common challenges faced and in keeping with their long standing Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership."

The Russian Foreign Ministry also presented an account of the meeting. It said that "a thorough exchange of views made it possible to consider topical issues of the work of the Security Council, including the situation in Afghanistan, Syria, Libya and Myanmar, as well as the problems of combating terrorism and climate change" with a particular emphasis on Russia's upcoming Security Council presidency.

"Both sides reaffirmed the identity or closeness of our countries' positions on major global and regional issues," the Russian readout said. "Mutual inclination was expressed to further strengthen bilateral coordination on the 'platform' of the Security Council based on the UN Charter, the norms and principles of international law in line with the relations of specially privileged partnership between Moscow and New Delhi."

Neither side made reference to Ukraine directly in their respective readouts of the discussions but Vershinin later confirmed that the issue was raised.

"We informed the Indian side about our point of view about what is going on around Ukraine and on the tensions fanned by the Western nations, NATO and the United States," the Russian diplomat said, according to the state-run Tass Russian News Agency.

He added that the two sides "also touched upon issues of insuring strategic stability in this area, the more so as Russia has repeatedly voiced its point of view publicly, and we once again communicated it to the Indian friends."

The robust partnership between the two powers dates back nearly seven decades when the Soviet Union began to forge deep ties with postcolonial states such as newly independent India. The relationship weathered the Cold War and the collapse of the USSR, and Russia and India continue to cooperate in various spheres, including on a range of international affairs.

India was the first major country to recognize Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula after a referendum that Ukraine and Western partners have rejected as illegitimate. The two countries have also shored up defense ties.

This situation has proved particularly complicated as New Delhi has also sought to cultivate a more comprehensive partnership with Washington in recent years, as long-standing U.S. ties to India's traditional foe Pakistan have waned and relations with India's other neighboring rival, China, have grown tense. Just as India moved closer to the U.S. by joining it, along with Australia and Japan, as part of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, New Delhi also frustrated Washington by acquiring Russia's advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile system.

U.S. lawmakers have set out to punish those who purchase such Russian weapons through the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), and such restrictions have been activated in response to S-400 purchases by China and even NATO ally Turkey. But no such moves have been pursued against India.

Asked by a reporter about whether CAATSA sanctions against India were being considered given the heightened tensions with Russia, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said a decision is yet to be made.

India's purchase of the S-400 "shines a spotlight on the destabilizing role that Russia is playing not only in the region but potentially beyond as well," he said. "When it comes to CAATSA sanctions, you've heard me say before we haven't made a determination with regard to this transaction, but it's something we continue to discuss with the government of India, given the risk of sanctions for this particular transaction under CAATSA."

Price added, "Whether it is India, whether it is any other country, we continue to urge all countries to avoid major new transactions for Russian weapon systems."

He also said the State Department didn't have "a timeline to offer" on potential CAATSA sanctions against India, "but these are issues that we continue to discuss with our partners in India."

The following day, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also responded to a press question on the S-400 deal. He said simply that "we pursue an independent foreign policy" and "this also applies to our defense acquisitions and supplies, which are guided by our national security interest."

Earlier this month, India's Hindustan Times newspaper, citing unnamed officials, reported that the country's first S-400 unit was set to be operational by April and that four others would follow suit next year.