India begins its two-year tenure as non-permanent member of UNSC

India, which has been at forefront of years-long efforts to reform UN Security Council, on Friday began its two-year tenure as a n-permanent member of powerful organ of world body.

India will sit in 15-nation United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2021-22 term as a n-permanent member - eighth time that country has h a seat on powerful horseshoe table.

In 2021, India, rway, Kenya, Ireland and Mexico join n-permanent members Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent and Grenines, Tunisia and Vietnam and five permanent members China, France, Russia, UK and US in Council.

India will be UNSC President in August 2021 and will preside over Council again for a month in 2022. presidency of Council is held by each of members in turn for one month, following English alphabetical order of Member States names.

India’s Permanent Representative to UN Ambassor T S Tirumurti has said that as world’s largest democracy, India will promote fundamental values like human rights and development and reinforce multilateralism while underlining need for greater cooperation in United Nations Security Council.

"As largest democracy…we will be promoting very fundamental values like democracy, human rights and development," India’s Permanent Representative to UN Ambassor T S Tirumurti told PTI.

India’s mess will also be to ensure "how do we let diversity flourish in a united framework, which is in many ways United Nations itself. This is something which India as a country, as what we stand for” will take to Council.

Tirumurti h said India will "definitely" emphasize a greater need for cooperation in Council, which should t be a place where "because of any paralysis of decision making, urgent requirements don’t get properly focused. We would like to have a more cooperative structure in which we genuinely look out and find solutions and go beyond rhetoric." India will also underscore importance of respect for rule of law and international law.

" current multilateralism is t factoring in multipolarity. When you have a structure, which is able to accommodate multipolarity in a multilateral framework, n automatically (re is) a more responsive, more rule-bound and more inclusive process," he said, ding that "obviously, this will le to reform in multilateral system."

"Broly se are some of messs which we will carry in various degrees…We will be a country which will reinforce multilateralism. That would be biggest strength of India in many ways when it gets into Security Council,” he said.

Tirumurti has outlined counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, maritime security, reformed multilateralism, techlogy for people, women and youth and developmental issues, especially in context of peace building, as India’s priorities for UNSC tenure.

"I feel that India’s presence in Security Council is needed at this juncture when re are deep fissures between P-5 mselves and also between or countries. UN is losing coherence and we hope to bring this back by focusing on issues of priority to all Member States,” he h said.

India has been at forefront of years-long efforts to reform Security Council, saying it rightly deserves a place as a permanent member of council, which in its current form does t represent geo-political realities of 21st century.

On long-delayed UNSC reforms, Tirumurti criticised lack of progress and said that hardly anything has happened in last dece.

"t a single thing has moved. Is this of process we want or can we collectively come to a slightly better process which will yield results." He underlined that it is time for a "genuine process" wherein Member States work with a single text for negotiations.

Tirumurti furr said that in last few months, he has tried to define India’s interests a "bit more sharply," including on question of terrorism. "We have said that let us pursue terrorism with a single-minded determination and t start giving excuses and justifications for se," Indian envoy said.

India will also look at very specific issues which are on nda of council, relating to countries, specific topics, he said. "What will happen is that trend of last few months of trying to define our interests a bit more sharply will continue as we go into UNSC," he said. Tirumurti has emphasised that in Security Council, India will be a strong voice for developing world.

"We will be a country which will stand up for developing countries." dressing virtual high-level General Assembly session in September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi h said that as a Security Council member, India will t hesitate to raise its voice against enemies of humanity, including terrorism and will always speak in support of peace, security and prosperity.

Modi h also asserted that reform in responses, processes and in very character of United Nations was "need of hour” as he questioned that for how long will India, world’s largest democracy and home to 1.3 billion people, be kept out of decision-making structures of UN.

India, endorsed candidate from Asia-Pacific States, won 184 votes out of 192 ballots cast in elections in June for five n-permanent seats of Security Council. 

(Photo Credit: Twitter/BJP4India)