At UNSC, India’s values and interests converge Shri Radhey.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), with a mandate to maintain international peace and security, is the centrepiece of global multilateralism. It selects the UN Secretary-General and plays a co-terminus role with the UN General Assembly in electing judges to the International Court of Justice. Its resolutions, adopted under chapter VII of the UN charter, are binding on all countries.

Shri Radhey Shri Radhey..

However, the UNSC’s governance structure — which was designed at the end of World War II and has five permanent members with a veto — needs reforms to reflect contemporary realities. This is essential for the sake of multilateralism and an effective UN.

India was elected to the UNSC for the eighth time in 2020 and began its two-year term this January. It is the council’s president in August and is, rightly, using the pulpit to focus on areas of vital interest affecting international peace and security. The presidency also offers India an opportunity to underscore its credentials as the world’s largest democracy, an economic behemoth and underline its commitment to the UN, including as the largest contributor, over time, to UN Peacekeeping. This is a stellar record for a permanent place on the horseshoe table. 

In recent months, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has underlined the imperatives for UNSC reforms and India’s strong stakes. It is, therefore, in the fitness of things that he will become the first Indian PM to chair a UNSC meeting on August 9. He will preside over the meeting, virtually, on the issue of maritime security, a subject which will be on the UNSC table for the first time for a comprehensive debate.

Given the huge role of sea-borne trade in human wellbeing, ensuring freedom of navigation and safety on the seas is a global imperative. For India, maritime security is also important given its sea-facing geography and civilisational links developed over millennia through seafaring. It is, thus, once again in the fitness of things that India should push towards a comprehensive approach to maritime security.