UPDATE

India did add an explanation that does make her abstention less than an endorsement of the expulsion of Russia.

For its part, India in its Explanation of Vote expressed dissatisfaction with the process followed for suspension even as it condemned civilian killings in Bucha. Interestingly India’s statement on Thursday had no mention of the issue of territorial integrity and sovereignty. This is the first time in the last two months that India has omitted this part.
Read more at:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com//news/international/world-news/united-nations-suspends-russia-from-human-rights-body-over-ukraine/articleshow/90712858.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

ORIGINAL POST

Too bad that India has failed to differentiate between abstaining from voting in a move to condemn Russia, which can be seen as neutral to both parties and abstaining from voting when there is a morally and legally wrong action being taken by the vote. That was the expulsion of Russia from the UNHRC, where, before an impartial investigation of the atrocity claims had been made, the Russians were expelled, a gross and flagrant abuse of procedure.

India ought to have sided with following the rules and voted AGAINST an illicit resolution. It did not. Neither did Pakistan.

But with China friendly with Pakistan, it was natural then that Russia decided that friendship with South-Asia at large rather than with India, which brings along with her the QUAD baggage, was a better idea for the new bipolar world in which Russia is a junior partner to China. Had India sided with Russia, there was the chance for a multipolar world, with Russia and India forming the third pole. There is still a chance for that and I hope Lavrov and Putin will work toward it, but the Israeli influence in India makes it a hard go.

Apparently, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov seems to think so too:

But what was America, has now become Russia,” said Gupta. Though Moscow and New Delhi have shared a “special” relationship with elements of “nostalgia”, the former has started to hyphenate India with Pakistan, he said. “This became obvious with Lavrov’s visit,” he added.

Lavrov first visited India and then Pakistan and his statements in both countries were markedly different, explained Gupta. While in Pakistan, Lavrov said Russia sees Pakistan as an “important friend”, seeks to continue exercises called ‘friendship druzhba’ and is willing to supply Pakistan high-tech or specialised military equipment to fight terrorism.

Asked about a potential security agreement between Russia and China at a press conference in India, earlier this week, Lavrov denied it but referred to alliances like the “Asia NATO” as disruptive, said Gupta. “That was a platitudinous statement… you know that he was turning the knife a little bit into India,” he added.