Why is it time India gets UNSC permanent membership?

New Delhi, Sep 24: Pitching for permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said not having a country like India in the key global councils, is not good for us nor is it good for the global body.

Calling the inclusion "overdue", Jaishankar once again batted for multilateralism in the global order.
"We believe that transformation is overdue because the UN is a product that was devised eighty years ago. And 80 years ago by any standards of human creativity is a long time ago. The number of independent countries has quadrupled in that period, Jaishankar said, adding that there are big parts of the world that are left out," Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar's call for India's permanent seat is significant given the role played by India during the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Also, India is emerging as a global leader and has gained the trust of very large parts of the world.

For a more representative UN

The effectiveness of the UNSC has been questioned following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The world body has faced steady calls for reforms and India has been at the forefront of the lobby.

The United Nations Security Council veto power is concentrated among the five permanent members US, UK, France, China, and Russia. China has been the major hurdle to India which uses its veto power to keep the former out. While, India has been perceived as the voice of global south.

India, a global voice

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the global order is undergoing a churn. In this fragmented world, India's democratic credentials make it a reliable partner of the west, and its independent foreign policy gives it the leverage to engage closely with other nations not in the western orbit as well.

Amid the rise of China in the south, India could emerge as a responsible global stakeholder and deserves to be involved in global governance and decision-making.

India's role in Covid Pandemic

World leaders have hailed India for its help and support in combating the Covid-19 pandemic through "early and meaningful" shipments of the vaccine doses.

They expressed their gratitude to India and other nations for the help provided through the exports of vaccines.

India has led efforts at vaccine equity and getting favourable policies for the developing world at the WTO.

India's role at UNSC is also crucial in targeting issues like terrorism, maritime security, and a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Emerging economy

India has emerged as the world's fifth-largest economy and is now behind only the US, China, Japan, and Germany

It will surpass China as the world's most populous country too. India, therefore, should find a permanent place at the UNSC.

UNSC composition

The UNSC comprises 15 members, including 10 non-permanent and five permanent members. The 193-member UNSC holds elections every year to elect five non-permanent members for a two-year term at the UN.

Apart from this, there are five permanent members of the Council-China, France, Russia, the UK and the US.

China is the only country that has not yet supported India's bid to become a member of the UNSC.
India has been pressing for permanent membership in the UNSC which has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

India's claims to a permanent seat in the UNSC are based on the following grounds:

• India, which represents one-sixth of the global population, has a rightful claim to the permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council.
• India is one of the founding members of the UNSC. New Delhi has been elected as a non-permanent member of the Council seven times during the years- 1950-1951, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 1977-1978, 1984-1985, 1991-1992, and most recently in 2011-2012.
• India has always upheld its principles and credentials while some other countries consider the organisation as merely a talk shop.
• India has also made an impressive contribution to the UN Peacekeeping Force (UNPKF).
• India is emerging as the third largest economy in the world, it will be the most populous society in the world.