India will today launch its formal campaign to stake claim for non-permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the term of 2028-29. Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will launch the #India4UNSC 2028-29: Peace, Planet, Progress campaign at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. During this time he will also meet United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
India is starting this campaign at a time when the world is facing many challenges like Russia-Ukraine war, Gaza conflict and increasing tension in West Asia. New Delhi’s effort is to establish itself as a responsible global power and a strong voice for the developing countries i.e. the Global South.
competition with tajikistan
India will compete with Tajikistan for a seat in the Asia-Pacific group in the elections to be held in the United Nations General Assembly in 2027. If India wins the elections, it will become a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the ninth time for the term 2028-29.
Got 187 votes in 2010 elections
India has previously been an elected member of the Security Council in 1950-51, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1977-78, 1984-85, 1991-92, 2011-12 and 2021-22. In the 2010 election, India received 187 votes out of 192, one of the strongest support for any candidate in recent years.
However, this exercise of India is not limited to becoming a non-permanent member only for 2 years. Through this campaign, New Delhi will also give a new edge to its demand for comprehensive reforms in the United Nations Security Council. India has consistently maintained that the 15-member Security Council formed in 1945 does not represent today’s global reality. Therefore, expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories is necessary, so that developing countries can get proper representation in the global decision process.
Demand for reform in UNSC
Recently, while addressing the Parliament of Indonesia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also reiterated the need for reform in the United Nations Security Council. He had said that the world is changing rapidly and developing countries should get equal participation in the global decision process. The Prime Minister clearly said that reforms in the UNSC cannot be postponed any longer.
Diplomatic experts believe that this campaign of India is not just an election process, but part of its strategy to further strengthen its role in the global system. On one hand, India wants to achieve non-permanent membership for 2028-29, while on the other hand it will also try to get global support for its agenda of permanent membership in the Security Council and comprehensive reforms in the United Nations.
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