New Delhi: India has endorsed the declaration to come out of the 2023 Summit for Democracy, but has expressed reservations on the framing on the Ukraine war and the International Criminal Court, Economic Times reported. The declaration mentions that India does not endorse the paragraphs on the war, the ICC and internet governance.
The declaration begins, “We, the leaders of the Summit for Democracy, reaffirm our shared belief that democracy – government reflecting the effective participation and will of the people – is humanity’s most enduring means to advance peace, prosperity, equality, sustainable development, and security. …To meet the rising challenges to democracy worldwide, we commit to strengthen democratic institutions and processes and build resilience. …We believe democratic institutions, which take time and concerted effort to develop, are best supported by an inclusive society that respects diversity, promotes decent work for all, and enables everyone to freely pursue their aspirations, exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms, and live without fear of violence and threats to their safety.”
Mexico and Armenia too did not endorse the paragraphs on Ukraine, and the Philippines and Israel expressed reservations on the paragraph on the ICC.
The paragraph on Ukraine reads:
“We reiterate our firm resolve to support countries and people around the world that adhere to the values of freedom and democracy, against direct or indirect attempts or threats to undermine them. We recognize the fundamental principles of the UN Charter that all states shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state and shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means. We recognize the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense of States consistent with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations. We underscore the need to reach, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the principles of the UN Charter. We deplore the dire human rights and humanitarian consequences of the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, including the continuous attacks against critical infrastructure across Ukraine with devastating consequences for civilians, and express our grave concern at the high number of civilian casualties, including women and children, the number of internally displaced persons and refugees in need of humanitarian assistance, and violations and abuses committed against children. We are deeply concerned by the adverse impact of the war on global food security, energy, nuclear security and safety and the environment. We demand that Russia immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and call for a cessation of hostilities. We also call for the parties to the armed conflict to adhere to their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law. We call also for the complete exchange of prisoners of war, the release of all unlawfully detained persons and the return of all internees and of civilians forcibly transferred and deported, including children. We strongly support accountability for the most serious crimes under international law committed on the territory of Ukraine through appropriate, fair and independent investigations and prosecutions at the national or international level, and to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes.”
The paragraph on the ICC states:
“We are jointly dedicated to:
…
Fourth, support civilian control of the military and hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations and abuses, including those committed by non-state actors. We demand that all parties to armed conflict fully comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law including those regarding the protection of civilians, with particular consideration of populations in marginalized or vulnerable situations. We commit to fight against impunity and promote accountability for violations of international law, particularly genocide, war crimes, the crime of aggression and crimes against humanity, including where such crimes involve sexual and gender-based violence. We acknowledge the important role played by the ICC as a permanent and impartial tribunal complementary to national jurisdictions in advancing accountability for the most serious crimes under international law.”
The finally paragraph India did not endorse, on internet governance, states:
“We are jointly dedicated to:
…Thirteenth, promote access to the Internet, protect civic space, enable the enjoyment of human rights online, commit to supporting information communications technology infrastructure projects in underserved communities, and work to prevent government-imposed Internet disruptions and restrictions online that violate international human rights law obligations. We also recognize the importance of ensuring that surveillance technology is used in a manner consistent with democratic principles and with respect for applicable human rights obligations and commitments. We highlight the importance of technology platform accountability and underline that platforms have a responsibility to respect human rights, consistent with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. We expect technology platforms to take appropriate action to anticipate, identify, prevent, and mitigate adverse human rights impacts directly linked to their operations and address violence, exploitation, and abuses taking place on their platforms. We underscore the need for technology companies to behave responsibly, including by enabling robust protections of individuals’ privacy, safety, and health, with a focus on even stronger protections for children and youth, transparency and accountability related to platforms’ algorithms and content moderation decisions, and strong protections against misuse and discrimination related to the use of algorithms, recognizing that populations in marginalized or vulnerable situations are disproportionately at risk to suffer negative consequences. In addition, we stress the importance of strengthening regional and global partnerships to increase collaboration while mitigating the risks posed by new and emerging technologies. We are guided by a commitment to a strengthened multistakeholder approach to Internet governance and more robust cooperation among governments and authorities on relevant public policies issues pertaining to digital ecosystems in order to achieve inclusive, comprehensive, coherent, and enduring solutions.”
Sources reportedly told ET that India objected to these sections because they were framed in pro-Western ways.
Although 120 countries were invited to the Summit, according to TRT World, the declaration was endorsed by only 73. Even among those, 12 countries did not agree with all parts of the text.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the Summit earlier this week.