This is a break from its record number of abstentions on UN fora this last year. Though analysts say, India has always voted against unilateral sanctions. It is another matter that it chose to abide by US sanctions on Iranian oil. It stopped oil purchases from Iran in 2019.
This is the fourth time that the UN Human Rights Council has voted on a matter related to Ukraine since the invasion by Russian troops. India has abstained from voting in all of them, just as it has on other resolutions on the Ukraine war at other UN bodies.
On Thursday, India abstained from voting on a UNHRC resolution which was related to a fact finding mission to investigate the alleged Human Rights violation after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.