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UPSC Issue at a Glance is an initiative of UPSC Essentials to focus your prelims and mains exam preparation on an issue that has been in the news. Every Thursday, cover a new topic in a lucid way. This week’s issue is focused on UNSC Reforms and India. Let’s get started!
India has called out attempts to introduce new parameters such as religion and faith as the basis for representation in a reformed UN Security Council, asserting that this runs completely counter to the accepted basis of regional representation.
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador P Harish, told the Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) meeting on ‘Size of the Future Council and cluster discussion on Regional Representation’ that those opposed to text-based negotiations do not seek progress on UNSC reforms. He added that the argument that an expanded and reformed Security Council would not be efficient is an attempt to stall real reforms.
UNSC reform has been at the centre of demand for multilateral reforms, and as the world’s largest democracy and an emerging global power, India has been advocating strongly for UNSC reforms, seeking a permanent seat to ensure greater inclusivity in global governance. In this context, understanding the demand of UNSC reforms from a broader perspective becomes important.
(Relevance: UPSC Syllabus General Studies-II: Current events of national and international importance, Bilateral, regional, and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Important International institutions, agencies, and fora- their structure, mandate.)
What will you learn from this article? |
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The United Nations (UN) came into existence on 24 October 1945, after being ratified by 51 nations, which included five permanent members or P5 (France, the Republic of China, the Soviet Union, the UK and the US) and 46 other signatories. The first meeting of the General Assembly took place on January 10, 1946. At present, 193 countries are members of the United Nations.
The UN Charter established six main organs of the United Nations, including the UN Security Council (UNSC). The UNSC held its first session on 17 January 1946 at Church House, Westminster, London. Since its first meeting, the Security Council has taken permanent residence at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.
The UN Charter (which lays down its governing principles) gives primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security to the Security Council, which may meet whenever peace is threatened. According to the United Nations’ Official site, under the United Nations Charter, the functions and powers of the Security Council are:
• To maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations;
• To investigate any dispute or situation which might lead to international friction;
• To formulate plans for the establishment of a system to regulate armaments;
• To determine the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression and to recommend what action should be taken;
• To call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving the use of force to prevent or stop aggression;
• To recommend the admission of new Members;
• To recommend to the General Assembly the appointment of the Secretary-General and, together with the Assembly, • To elect the Judges of the International Court of Justice.
Notably, while other organs of the United Nations make recommendations to member states, only the Security Council has the power to make decisions that member states are then obligated to implement under the Charter.
Composition
The UNSC is composed of 15 members: five permanent members — China, France, Russian Federation, the United States, and the United Kingdom — and 10 non-permanent members who are elected by the General Assembly. The non-permanent members are elected for two-year terms — so every year, the General Assembly elects five non-permanent members out of the total 10.
These 10 seats are distributed among the regions of the world: five seats for African and Asian countries; one for Eastern European countries; two for Latin American and Caribbean countries; and two for Western European and Other Countries.
Of the five seats for Africa and Asia, three are for Africa and two for Asia. Also, there is an informal understanding between the two groups to reserve one seat for an Arab country. The Africa and Asia Pacific group takes turns every two years to put up an Arab candidate.
Elections for terms beginning in even-numbered years select two African members, and one each within Eastern Europe, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Terms beginning in odd-numbered years consist of two Western European and Other members, and one each from Asia Pacific, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Notably, according to the United Nations’ official site, “A State which is a Member of the United Nations but not of the Security Council may participate, without a vote, in its discussions when the Council considers that country’s interests are affected. Both members and non-members of the United Nations, if they are parties to a dispute being considered by the Council, may be invited to take part, without a vote, in the Council’s discussions; the Council sets the conditions for participation by a non-member state.”
Veto Power in the UNSC
All member countries of the UN are part of the General Assembly. This body can pass resolutions on relevant matters. Only a simple majority (of more than half the members) is required to pass its resolutions. However, the UN Security Council is a much more exclusive club.
Each of the P5 members has the power to veto a vote. It was agreed by the drafters of the UN Charter that if any one of the five permanent members cast a negative vote in the 15-member UNSC, the resolution would fail. A member can choose to abstain though, allowing the resolution to be adopted if it obtains the minimum nine votes.
| Why do only permanent members of the UNSC have veto power? |
| The UN says, “The creators of the United Nations Charter conceived that five countries… because of their key roles in the establishment of the United Nations, would continue to play important roles in the maintenance of international peace and security.” After World War Two ended in 1945, the P5 were among the victors against Germany, Italy and Japan. Among them, the US, the UK and the USSR (later Russia would take its seat) were at the forefront of war efforts. When it came to forming an international organisation to maintain international peace, they were keen to accord certain exclusive rights to themselves. |
From G20 countries pledging to reform the United Nations Security Council through a transformative reform that aligns it with the realities and demands of the 21st century to BRICS nations calling for making global governance more inclusive by reforming the major multilateral institutions such as the UN Security Council. One can see that from time to time, various groupings and nations have demanded reform in the UNSC. There are multiple reasons behind this long-standing demand for reform in this powerful organ of the UN. Let’s take a look at some of the major reasons:
1. For making UNSC more inclusive and representative: In the rapidly changing global order, there is a need for a more representative and equitable international order; therefore, reforming the UNSC to enlarge it is not just a matter of procedural change—it is a democratic imperative.
2. Not representing the current global realities: The United Nations’ inability to mitigate conflicts in which the interests of the P5 are involved presents one of the biggest limitations of the UNSC as it is no longer representing the current global realities, with limited representation of countries from Asia, Africa, and Latin America in the Security Council.
3. For Preserving Credibility of UNSC: A polarised Security Council has failed to deal with current peace and security challenges with Council members sharply divided on conflicts such as the Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict. In this context, expansion in UNSC’s membership is essential to make it credible and ensure continued confidence of the international community in the institution.
Hence, reforms of the UNSC should primarily aim at addressing the issues of inequity and underrepresentation of regions in its organisational structure. It would ensure the United Nations reflects the aspirations of emerging political powers like India and continues to be relevant in addressing global conflicts.
India, a founding member of the United Nations, has been at the forefront of the years-long efforts to reform the security council. As the world’s largest democracy and an emerging global power, India advocates strongly for United Nations Security Council reforms, seeking a permanent seat to ensure greater inclusivity in global governance.
New Delhi has said it is essential that the Security Council is expanded in both the permanent and non-permanent categories. It says India is eminently suited for permanent UNSC membership by any objective criteria, such as population, territorial size, GDP, economic potential, civilisational legacy, cultural diversity, political system and past and ongoing contributions to UN activities — especially to UN peacekeeping operations.
In March, 2024, India presented a detailed model on behalf of the G4 nations of Brazil, Germany, Japan and itself for Security Council reform. The G4 model proposes that the Security Council’s membership increase from the current 15 to 25-26 by adding six permanent and four or five non-permanent members.
At the United Nations Summit of the Future in September 2024, India welcomed United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres’ support for reforms in the Security Council structure. India continues to be a vocal proponent of an equitable and inclusive global governance mechanism. There are multiple factors that present strong grounds for India’s demand for permanent membership in the UNSC. Let’s look at India’s engagement in UNSC to better understand it:
1. India has served on the UN Security Council eight times so far: in 1950-51, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1977-78, 1984-85, 1991-92, 2011-2012, and 2021-22.
2. In 1950-51, India, as President of UNSC, presided over the adoption of resolutions calling for cessation of hostilities during the Korean War and for assistance to the Republic of Korea.
3. In 1967-68, India co-sponsored Resolution 238 extending the mandate of the UN mission in Cyprus. In 1972-73, India pushed strongly for the admission of Bangladesh into the UN. The resolution was not adopted because of a veto by a permanent member.
4. In 1977-78, India was a strong voice for Africa in the UNSC and spoke against apartheid. Then External Affairs Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke in the UNSC for Namibia’s independence in 1978. In 1984-85, India was a leading voice in the UNSC for the resolution of conflicts in the Middle East, especially Palestine and Lebanon.
5. India played an active role in discussions on all issues related to international peace and security, including several new challenges which the UNSC was called upon to deal with in Afghanistan, Côte d’Ivoire, Iraq, Libya, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen. In view of the threat posed to international trade and security by piracy off the coast of Somalia, India promoted international cooperation against the pirates.
6. At India’s initiative, the Security Council mandated international cooperation for the release of hostages taken by pirates as well as for the prosecution of those taking hostages and those aiding and abetting these acts.
7. India also worked for enhancing international cooperation in counter-terrorism, prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to non-state actors, and the strengthening of UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts.
India’s consistent contribution in the UNSC across decades of its membership and its commitment to the United Nations principles make it a deserving nation for its inclusion as a permanent member of a reformed UNSC. In the changing global power dynamic, recognising India’s rightful place at the high table in the UNSC will reflect the realities of the 21st century and will make the UNSC more inclusive and representative.
In conclusion, although India, among other countries, has often made claims to P5 membership, arguing that the current body is limited in terms of representation. However, these efforts have not yielded results, mainly because they challenge the dominance of countries that have created and been entrenched in a system that ultimately works in their favour.
While the relative power wielded by the UK and France has declined since the UN was formed, China, the US and Russia still wield great influence. These countries are also engaged in power rivalries, and adding new members could be seen as their rivals’ allies or possible threats. But the reality of a changing world cannot be ignored, as a more inclusive and representative UNSC is the need of the hour for better global governance.
Prelims
(1) The Security Council of UN consists of 5 permanent members, and the remaining 10 members are elected by the General Assembly for a term of ( UPSC CSE 2009)
(a) 1 year
(b) 2 years
(c) 3 years
(d) 5 years
(2) With reference to the non-permanent members at UNSC, consider the following statements:
1. The term of non-permanent members is 3 years.
2. The elected countries require a two-thirds majority of Member States present and voting in the 193-member General Assembly.
3. The seats of non-permanent members are distributed according to regional groupings.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
(3) With reference to the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations, consider the following statements:
1. The United Nations General Assembly was founded in 1945, while the Security Council was established in 1949.
2. While General Assembly resolutions are legally binding, Security Council resolutions are not.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Mains
Discuss the impediments India is facing in its pursuit of a permanent seat in the UN Security Council (UPSC CSE 2015)
| Prelims Answer Key |
| 1. (b) 2. (b) 3. (d) |
(Sources: India calls out attempts to introduce new parameters for representation in reformed UNSC, main.un.org, Explained: India at the United Nations high table, US veto of Gaza ceasefire: Why only five countries have veto power in the UN Security Council, Explained: Non-permanent seats in the UNSC, and how they are filled,United Nations Day 2024: India continues to push for Security Council Reform)
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