Explanation of Vote by India during adoption of the Resolution on the Rights of Child, delivered by Mr. Gaurav Kumar Thakur, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, 30 March 2026, Geneva
Thank you Mr. President,
We thank the core group for presenting this important resolution on the rights of the child. India remains committed to protecting and promoting children’s rights, including in situations of armed conflict.
- 2. India supports the adoption of this resolution by consensus. Should there be a vote during the adoption we would vote in favour. However, we would like to offer our interpretation of Operative Para 16 for this Council’s record. In our view, OP16, as currently drafted, cannot be construed as indirectly imposing treaty-based standards on non-parties or extending obligations beyond those that States have expressly accepted under international law. It provides State Parties which are not parties to relevant Treaties and Conventions, the flexibility to apply provisions in accordance with its domestic legal frameworks.
- 3. India has a long-standing and well-recognized tradition of hosting and supporting refugees, guided by its constitutional values, and a strong humanitarian ethos.
- 4. We will continue to address refugee-related matters in accordance with our national framework, while constructively engaging with the international community on issues of common concern.
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