India didn’t sign letter of support by 104 nations for Guterres after ban by Israel

Contact Counsellor

Last Updated15/10/2024

India was a notable exclusion from a letter signed by 104 countries, including European and African countries, as well as much of the Global South that “condemned” Israel for banning United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres from entering Israeli territory.

India recently chose not to sign a letter, supported by 104 countries, condemning Israel for banning United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres from entering its territory.
This decision, though not entirely unexpected given India's past voting record, has drawn attention due to its focus on defending the U.N. and its leadership, rather than directly supporting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict parties.

The letter was a response to Israel declaring Guterres persona non grata (PNG) on October 2, 2024. This order, issued by Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz, came after the U.N. Secretary General’s perceived failure to "unequivocally" condemn Iranian missile strikes on Israel.
While Guterres had issued statements on Iran’s actions both before and after the ban, Katz argued that Guterres did not deserve to set foot on Israeli soil.

The letter, circulated by Chile, expressed “deep concern with and condemnation” of Israel’s decision. The signatories stated that such actions would undermine the U.N.’s ability to carry out its mandate, which includes mediating conflicts and providing humanitarian support. The letter received support from 104 countries, including members from:

Much of the Global South, including South America, West Asia, and South Asia
Countries such as Brazil, South Africa, Uganda, Indonesia, Spain, Guyana, and Mexico endorsed the letter, while the U.S., U.K., Japan, and South Korea chose not to sign it.

India’s decision not to sign the letter is notable, especially since most of its neighboring countries and much of the developing world supported it. This move is part of a broader trend where India has broken away from the Global South on issues critical of Israel. Over the years, India has abstained from voting on at least four major U.N. resolutions concerning Palestine.
However, the decision not to sign this particular letter is significant because it does not directly address the Israel-Palestine conflict but rather defends the role of the U.N. Secretary General and the broader U.N. system.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has remained silent on why India did not endorse the letter. In a previous statement on October 4, an MEA spokesperson commented that for India, Guterres is the U.N. Secretary General, and what other countries say about the matter is not India’s concern. The spokesperson refrained from commenting on Israel’s decision to ban Guterres.

India’s decision to distance itself from the letter reflects a broader geopolitical alignment. By not joining the condemnation, India is reinforcing its strategic ties with Israel, which have strengthened over recent years. At the same time, India seems to be maintaining a pragmatic stance by avoiding direct criticism of Israel, even as it continues to engage with the U.N. and global diplomatic processes.

India’s non-participation in the letter could raise questions about its commitment to the Global South’s collective stance on international issues. As the country seeks to project itself as a leader of the developing world, this decision might be seen as a departure from its traditional foreign policy principles, particularly concerning multilateralism and U.N. diplomacy.