'Business-like approach unlikely to succeed': India cautions UNGA over Afghanistan; abstains from voting

India and 11 other nations on Monday abstained in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on a draft resolution on Afghanistan , with India's envoy to the UN noting that a “business as usual” approach is unlikely to deliver outcomes which the global community envisions for the Afghan people.

The UNGA adopted the Germany-introduced draft resolution on the situation in the Asian nation. It was passed with 116 votes in favour; two against and 12 abstentions.

Explaining India's decision, the country's UN Permanent Representative P Harish said, "Any coherent policy to address a post-conflict situation must combine a mix of policy instruments – incentivising positive behaviour and disincentivising harmful actions. A 'business as usual' approach, without new and targeted initiatives, is unlikely to deliver the outcomes the international community envisions for the Afghan people."

The diplomat added that no new policy instruments have been introduced to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan since August 2021, when the Taliban again took over the reins in Kabul.

“An approach focused only on punitive measures, in our view, is unlikely to succeed. The United Nations and the broader international community have adopted more balanced and nuanced approaches in other post-conflict contexts,” Harish asserted.

Further, he stressed that New Delhi is closely monitoring the security situation in Afghanistan, and underscored that the international community must direct its coordinated efforts towards ensuring that entities and individuals designated by the UN Security Council no longer exploit the Afghan territory for terrorist activities - a veiled reference to Pakistan.

Harish also stressed that India is closely monitoring the security situation in Afghanistan and underscored that the international community must direct its coordinated efforts towards ensuring that entities and individuals designated by the UN Security Council, the Al Qaeda and their affiliates, ISIL and their affiliates, including Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, along with their regional sponsors who facilitate their operations, no longer exploit the Afghan territory for terrorist activities, a reference to Pakistan.

Reiterating India’s historic ties with the people of Afghanistan and its enduring commitment to meeting their humanitarian and developmental needs, Harish said that while New Delhi remains committed to continued engagement with all relevant stakeholders and broadly supports the international community’s efforts towards a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan, “India has decided to abstain on this resolution.”