India Backs Cuba At UN As Support For Ending US Embargo Falls After Diplomatic Clash

India has backed a United Nations resolution calling for an end to the US embargo on Cuba, joining 129 other countries in support of the measure even as international backing declined sharply. New Delhi said the restrictions were hurting Cuba’s economy, essential services and development prospects.

The UN General Assembly adopted the resolution on Wednesday, October 28, with 130 countries voting in favour, 17 against and 25 abstaining. Last year, 165 countries supported the measure, seven opposed it and 12 abstained, marking a significant fall in support this year.

The United States and Israel voted against the resolution. Germany and Italy, which had backed it in previous years, abstained. Washington welcomed the change in voting patterns as the Trump administration sought to build support for its position on Cuba.

The vote followed a diplomatic confrontation between US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez during a General Assembly debate on Tuesday. The incident reportedly involved a physical altercation. The United States later announced the expulsion of a Cuban diplomat, accusing him of assaulting an American diplomat.

Delivering India's statement, Soumya Nair, counsellor at India's Permanent Mission to the UN, said the General Assembly had repeatedly called for an end to the embargo. She also opposed laws that extend beyond national borders and harm the sovereignty, progress and prosperity of other countries.

She said India's commitment to multilateralism rested on the belief that international challenges should be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy. India also called for the embargo to be lifted at the earliest to allow Cubans to participate more fully in international cooperation and pursue their development goals.

Citing a report by the UN Secretary-General, Nair highlighted the restrictions' impact on Cuba's economy and essential services. She said the country's health system faced shortages of more than 60 per cent of essential medicines, while food production had fallen by over 50 per cent in five years.