India's UN abstentions reach all-time high amid increasing global polarisation
An analysis reveals that India's annual share of 'yes' votes on United Nations resolutions has fallen to 56% in 2025, the lowest since 1955, while abstentions have sharply risen to 44%, an all-time high. This shift, particularly noticeable since 2019, reflects an increasingly polarised world and the growing complexity of UN resolutions. Former diplomats suggest that abstentions serve as a "useful tool" for emerging and middle powers like India to express their positions more freely, especially when resolutions are convoluted with multiple provisions. This allows India to avoid voting 'yes' or 'no' when it agrees with some aspects but not others, thereby establishing its own nuanced stance.
Key Points
- India's 'yes' votes at the UN have dropped to 56% in 2025, the lowest since 1955.
- The annual percentage of abstentions has increased to 44%, marking an all-time high for India.
- This change in voting patterns, prominent since 2019, reflects increased global polarisation and complexity of UN resolutions.
- Abstentions provide India with an opportunity to express its position more freely without aligning fully with or against a resolution.
- The "useful tool" of abstention allows India to navigate complex resolutions with multiple provisions, where it may agree with some but not all.
Exam Facts
- India's 'yes' votes in UN resolutions (2025): 56%.
- India's abstentions in UN resolutions (2025): 44%.
- Data analysis period: 1946 to June 2025.
- Former Permanent Representative of India to the UN: T.S. Tirumurti, Syed Akbaruddin.
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