LONDON — Along with Germany, Brazil, China and Russia, India abstained the week before last from voting on the U.N. Security Council resolution that approved a no-fly zone over Libya and authorized "all necessary measures" for protecting civilians from Moammar Gadhafi's forces.
India argued that it could not endorse the drastic steps called for in the resolution without hearing from the U.N. secretary general's special envoy. It also underscored the African Union's attempt to end the crisis in a peaceful manner.
India cautioned that "the resolution that the council has adopted authorizes far-reaching measures under Chapter 7 of the U.N. charter with relatively little credible information on the situation on the ground in Libya."