India Abstains from UNGA Vote on ICJ Climate Advisory Opinion

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution titled “Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the Obligations of States in Respect of Climate Change” with 141 votes in favour, eight against and 28 abstentions. India was among the abstentions, expressing disappointment that its concerns were not addressed during negotiations.

India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, represented by First Secretary Petal Gahlot, said the resolution failed to reflect the advisory and non‑binding nature of the July 2025 ICJ opinion and risked undermining the “sacrosanct architecture” of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). New Delhi warned that the text could impose quasi‑binding obligations on developing countries, limit national policy space, and omitted reference to climate finance, contrary to its position that climate obligations must be negotiated within the UNFCCC process and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.