Great News: India Becomes member of United Nations Security Council
India has been elected unopposed as a non-permanent member of United Nations Security Council for the year 2021-22. The non-permanent members of UN security council comprise of 15 member nations. India will serve its eighth two-year term as a non-permanent member of United Nations.
On Wednesday, 18th of June, voting was held and India secured 184 votes out of the total 192 polled. Though India ran unopposed from Asia, eight countries did not vote for India in the secret ballot. India will be replacing Indonesia and will join Vietnam as two Asian countries in among the 10 non-permanent members of United Nations Security Council.
Composition of the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council comprises of 15 member countries, 5 Permanent and 10 non-permanent. The permanent members of UNSC includes USA, Russia, China, France and United Kingdom. India’s last term as a member of Security Council member was in 2011-12. On Wednesday, voting to elect five non-members of the UNSC was held. Along with India, Norway, Mexico and Ireland were also elected as the council members. However, Canada which was eyeing a seat in the council failed to secure the required numbers. Election to one seats will be held on 18th June after Kenya and Djibouti both failed to garner 2/3 majority in the first round of voting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his gratitude towards the nations who voted in favour of India. PM Modi tweeted, Deeply grateful for the overwhelming support shown by the global community for India’s membership of the @UNSecurity Council. India will work with all member countries to promote global peace, security, resilience and equity.”
India’s term as a one of the non-members of the powerful UN body for two years will begin from January 1, 2021. India’s permanent representative to UN, T. S. Tirumurti also thanked the countries voting in favour or India. A video message was tweeted from a official twitter handle of India in UN which contained his video thanking the nations supporting India.
India has been eyeing for reform in United Nations Security Council and advocated for increasing the number of permanent member nations of UNSC. United States in the past has supported India’s candidature to be a permanent member in the UNSC along with Japan. The United Kingdom, France and Russia too have supported India for a permanent candidature on the Security Council. However, due to China, India has failed to secure its membership in the security council. One must not forget that our Former Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru gifted the Permanent Membership of UNSC to China which was offered to India.
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