NEW DELHI: With India poised to be elected unopposed to the UN Security Council on June 17, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on India on Friday listed its priorities that will be underlined by a “positive global role” during its two-year stint at the global high table that will begin on January 1, 2021.
The Minister listed four different challenges that have emerged since India last served on the UN Security Council from the 54-nation Asia-Pacific Group. India had to persuade Afghanistan to shelve its ambitions and had entered into a quid pro quo with Vietnam to emerge as the sole candidate from the group. Though India’s election is all but guaranteed, a senior officer said, “We are not taking chances”.
The four challenges to international peace and security were —increasing strains in international governance as frictions have increased; unchecked traditional and non-traditional security challenges; unreformed and under representative global institutions; and, grave economic repercussions from Covid that will test the world like never before.
“We have always been a voice of reason and a votary of international law. We advocate dialogue, consultation and fairness in our approach to global issues,” said Jaishankar. “India will work constructively with partners to overcome old and new fault-lines and offer innovative and inclusive solutions,” he added.
At its eighth stint at UNSC where it aspires to be a permanent member, Jaishankar said India can play a “positive global role” by creating new opportunities for progress, an effective response to international terrorism, reforming the multilateral system, comprehensive approach to international peace and security and promoting technology with a human touch as a driver of solutions.
India is in a G-4 grouping with Japan, South Africa and Germany in order to make a joint bid to enter an expanded UNSC. That attempt is being opposed by each country’s regional rivals under the banner on “United for Consensus”, which is also known as the Coffee Club. India is opposed by Pakistan and China, Japan by South Korea, South Africa by African heavyweights Nigeria and Egypt and Germany by Italy and Spain.