India’s UNSC Bid

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India along with other G4 countries is pushing towards expansion of the permanent Council of UNSC.

About

• While the U.S. has in the past backed India’s bid for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the Biden administration has continued to remain non-committal on the issue.
• India is currently (in 2021 and 2022) a non-permanent member of the UNSC and is president for the month of August.

United State’s Stand

• The U.S. offered qualified support for building a consensus for enlargement of the UNSC – in terms of permanent and non-permanent members. 
• However, the U.S. would not support an expansion of the veto – given to the P-5, the current five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the U.K and the U.S.
• Support will be given provided it does not diminish its effectiveness or its efficacy and does not alter or expand the veto.
• The Obama and Trump administrations had supported a permanent seat for India on the Security Council.

Seeking Permanent Seat in UNSC

• Equitable world order: There is a need for a more equitable world order to uphold the principles of democracy at the global level.
• Inclusivity: Developing countries like the African countries, need to be made stakeholders in the multilateral institutions and involved in the decision-making process.
• Mitigation of new threats: In the era of corona pandemic, rising protectionism, increased incidents of terrorism and the threat of climate change, multilateral system must become more resilient and responsive.
• Desperate times call for desperate measures: There is already a precedent of expansion of G-20 in the face of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.
• Pressure from G4 member: India has been seeking a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council as a member of the G4 which is an organization composed of Brazil, Germany, Japan, and India, all who are currently seeking permanent representation. 
• Supporters: The Russian Federation, United States, United Kingdom and France support India and the other G4 countries gaining permanent seats.[35]
• G4 Proposal: According to the G4 proposal, the UN Security Council should be expanded beyond the current fifteen members to include twenty-five members. 
  • If this actually happens, it would be the first time permanent Security Council status is extended to a South Asian nation and supporters of the G4 plan suggest that this will lead to greater representation of developing nations rather than the current major powers.
• Justified Demand: India makes a number of claims to justify its demand. 
  • India has the world’s second largest population and is the world’s largest liberal democracy. 
  • It is also the world’s fifth largest economy and third largest in terms of purchasing power parity as of 2020. 
  • India is the largest contributor of troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions with 7,860 personnel deployed with ten UN Peacekeeping Missions as of 2014 after Bangladesh and Pakistan, all three nations being in South Asia. 
  • India has contributed more than 180,000 troops, the largest number from any country, participated in more than 43 missions and 156 Indian peacekeepers have made the supreme sacrifice while serving in UN missions. 
• India can benefit its inclusion as Permanent Member from the Post of Presidency:
  • India would try to make the best of its two-year term as a UNSC member to establish its credentials for being a permanent member.
  • Focus is on leaving a mark in the Council that India really, by its contribution, establishes the right to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
  • India’s backing: 
  • India’s bid for a permanent UNSC seat has received backing from successive US Presidents going back at least to George W Bush and including his successors Barack Obama and Donald Trump. 
  • Joe Biden, who succeeded Trump, had in his campaign policy document last year talked about supporting India as a permanent member. 
  • The UK, France and Russia, too, are known to back India’s bid but the biggest stumbling block in that regard is China, which has reportedly been using its veto to block India’s elevation as a permanent UNSC member.

Reason for demanding Permanent Member Status

• Veto Power: Veto power has been the exclusive domain of P5 members. India could use veto power to defend its interests, say against Pakistan (just like Russia did last year over the civil war in Ukraine). 
• Prestige Associated: The sheer prestige associated with permanent membership of a multilateral forum. India’s elevation will also be an acknowledgment of its rise as a global power, ready to play a key role in the council’s objectives of international peace and security.
• Advantages in General Assembly:  As a permanent member, India could take benefits of the type of majority required to pass a resolution, requirement of approval of the United Nations Security Council etc.

Challenges for India’s Bid

• Lack of Political Will: Although there is a general agreement towards change in the system, different countries have different perceptions of the requirement for change. 
• Coffee Club: It is an informal group comprising 40-odd member states, mostly middle-sized states who oppose bigger regional powers grabbing permanent seats, has been instrumental in holding back reforms to the United Nations Security Council over the past six years.
• Chinese Opposition: China being a permanent member blocks the growth of India becoming a Permanent Member.
• US Withdrawing Support: Present US Administration is going away from its previous trajectory and opposing India’s request.
• Growth Trajectory of India: India’s socio economic growth could become a question in making it a permanent member.

Way Ahead

• India has to bring supporting member countries of the United Nations (UN) together in the UNSC. 
• China has also previously indicated that it may drop opposition to India joining the UNSC as a permanent member if it calls off cooperation with Japan to get onto the UN high table.
• India must place high hopes in the potential of the non-permanent members in the Council to play the role of constructive peace makers. 

About UNSC 

• Members: Apart from the five permanent members, the UNSC also includes 10 non-permanent members who are each chosen for a two-year term.
• India as non permanent member: India has been elected as a non-permanent member on seven occasions in the past and started its eighth stint on January 1 this year. 
• Elected from UN General Assembly: According to UN rules, the General Assembly “elects each year five non-permanent members” who have to bag two-thirds majority to qualify for the seat.
• Presidency Change:  The presidency passed to India from France and in September 2021, Ireland will take over from India.
• Powers of UNSC President:
  • The UNSC Handbook says that the president is “responsible for the conduct of the meetings of the Security Council and is authorised to represent (it) in relations with other organs of the UN and with member states”.

Source: TH