Norms versus National Interest: India's Diplomatic Neutrality and the Crisis of Liberal International Order after Ukraine

Abstract Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 undermined the liberal international order based upon sovereignty, territorial integrity, and collective security that has prevailed since 1945. India, as both a rising power and as an advocate for strategic autonomy, was thus faced with a deep moral/ political dilemma, i.e., to honor the normative principles advocated by democratic western states, or to act in accordance with her own national interests which are based upon historical ties to Russia. The purpose of this research is to analyze India’s diplomacy during the crisis; specifically, India’s “neutrality” through abstention at the United Nations from February 2022 through 2025 (re-framed as being “on the side of peace”), and her continued engagement economically with Russia, against the backdrop of the crisis of the liberal order. Using developments in the crisis up to December 2025 (including Putin’s visit to New Delhi while the US imposed tariffs), this analysis shows how India’s multi-aligned approach, as a pragmatic strategy, has allowed her to take advantage of “discounts” in energy and defense as a result of the war, while creating inconsistencies between her advocacy of sovereignty and the pragmatic actions she took in response to her national interests. Western states have criticized India for what they perceive as undermining of the sanctions regime and the rule of law, but India’s position resonates with other states in the Global South, and is contributing to greater fragmentation in the world toward multiple poles of influence. Ultimately, the war in Ukraine represents a larger crisis —the erosion of the liberal order due to great power revisionism and the emergence of the realist policies of middle powers —with implications for reforms in global governance.