Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday admitted he was wrong in opposing India's neutral stance at the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war, acknowledging that the policy has since positioned the country as a key player in global diplomacy.
Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, Tharoor, who had earlier called for condemning Russia's actions, conceded, “I am still wiping the egg off my face because I am one person in the parliamentary debate who actually criticised the Indian position at the time back in February 2022.”
The Congress MP had opposed India's decision not to explicitly denounce Russia, arguing that “there was a violation of the UN charter, there had been a violation of the principle of inviolability of borders, of the sovereignty of a member state namely Ukraine, and we had always stood for the inadmissibility of the use of force to settle international disputes.”
However, three years later, Tharoor acknowledged the diplomatic advantage of India’s position, noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has managed to engage with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin within weeks. “Clearly, the policy has meant that India has actually a prime minister who can hug both the president of Ukraine and the president in Moscow two weeks apart and be accepted in both places.”
Tharoor stated that India's unique geopolitical standing, including its distance from Europe, allows it to play a role in fostering lasting peace. “India is in a position where it can make a difference to a lasting peace if it was so required in ways that very few countries would be able to.”
He also hinted at India’s potential involvement in peacekeeping efforts if an agreement between Russia and Ukraine were to materialise. While stressing that he could not speak on behalf of the government, he noted, “If it were necessary and if there was an agreed peace between Russia and Ukraine, there would be some willingness on the Indian side to consider sending peacekeepers.”
Tharoor highlighted that Russia has explicitly rejected NATO-aligned peacekeepers, making non-European countries key contenders for such a role. “Speaking as an Indian parliamentarian, I don’t think there is going to be a lot of resistance to that idea.”
Drawing a contrast with India’s refusal to send troops to Iraq in 2003, he said, “I don’t see that happening for Ukraine. I think if it were necessary and there was an agreed peace, I think there would be some willingness to consider. But I can’t speak for the government, I am in the opposition.”