New Delhi: India will likely abstain again in a vote in a UN General Assembly committee on the Rohingya issue on a resolution that Bangladesh considers crucial for keeping up the international pressure on Myanmar to ensure quick repatriation.On November 15, UNGA’s third committee – which deals with human rights issues – will vote on a resolution on “Human Rights Situation in Myanmar”. The draft resolution, co-sponsored by countries part of the European Union and the Organisation for Islamic Conference, calls for the “dignified, voluntary and sustainable return” of Rohingya refugees and accountability for human rights violations.The resolution will be submitted to the third committee on the same day that Bangladesh will begin the repatriation process of the first batch of refugees.Last year, the third committee had also passed a similar resolution on the “Situation of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar” in November, which was adopted by 135 countries in favour, ten against and 26 abstentions. A month later, on December 24, the full UN General Assembly voted on the resolution with 122 countries in favour, ten ‘nays’ and 24 abstentions. In both of these resolutions, India had abstained.Also read: UN Will Not Provide Assistance to Long-Term Rohingya Camps in MyanmarOfficial sources indicated that India, neighbour to both Myanmar and Bangladesh is likely to repeat its voting record when the resolution will be introduced to the floor in the third committee this week – and in the UNGA next month.India had traditionally voted against any resolutions on human rights situation in Myanmar in the United Nations General Assembly.A perusal of records of UNGA sessions in the last decade show that there had been a resolution on the situation in Myanmar every year, except for 2016. The Myanmar-related resolution was adopted without a vote, on the basis of consensus from 2012 to 2015.However, in other years, whenever there was a vote, India had voted against the resolution.India has a well-known position against country-specific resolutions in the United Nations. New Delhi’s pivot in favour of the military junta in the last decade, is also a factor in its public alignment with Myanmar on multilateral fora.This changed in 2017 when India abstained for the first time. The change in India’s position took place in the backdrop of the exodus of nearly 700,000 Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh following a security crackdown following an attack by militants on border personnel in august 2017. A UN report had called for Myanmar’s military commanders to face charges of perpetrating ‘genocide’.Also read: ‘Shameful Betrayal’: Amnesty Strips Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi of Highest HonourIndia had initially only referred to “extremist violence” in Myanmar. But the Bangladesh government, already under pressure from civil society groups and opposition, told India that its lack of acknowledgment of the humanitarian aspect of the refugee crisis was fanning public anger.Thereafter, New Delhi issued more ‘balanced’ statements that referred to the refugee crisis and also pivoted India to a neutral position in United Nations.Source noted that there was no substantial shift in dynamics in India’s relations with the two neighbours which would warrant a change in vote on Myanmar-related resolution from last year.Bangladesh and Myanmar had signed an MoU for repatriation, but not even one refugee has returned to their homes till now. Last month, they agreed to begin the process from mid-November.India had welcomed the agreement as a “good beginning”. “We hope that this process can gather momentum as confidence grows in the environment in Rakhine state for the safe, speedy and sustainable return of the displaced people. And this is something which we have said in the past as well that we are in favor of safe, speedy and sustainable return of the displaced people from Bangladesh to Myanmar,” said MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on November 2.Also read: Myanmar Prepares to Receive First Group of Rohingya Refugees on November 15He added that India was working with the two countries so that the returnees “get proper socio-economic conditions for a favourable return to the place where they belong to”. India is constructing 250 pre-fabricated houses for the repatriated refugees. According to The Daily Star, Bangladesh has handed over a list of 2,260 Rohingya to the UN refugee agency, who are conducting interviews to evaluate their assent to the repatriation.On Wednesday, Bangladesh high commissioner to India, Syed Muazzem Ali held a briefing on the resolution in the third committee for 60 diplomats from Delhi-based foreign missions who have concurrent accreditation with Dhaka. “It is a token repatriation and it will be a test case for Myanmar,” he said, calling on the international community to maintain pressure on Nyay Pyi Taw for the safe return of Rohingyas.In October, India had deported seven Rohingyas to Myanmar, after Supreme Court refused to stay their transfer. This move had attracted criticism from UN human rights officials, who described the deportation as a “flagrant denial of their right to protection and could amount to refoulment”.