UNSC: India’s Call for Peace | Gist of Rajya Sabha TV / RSTV (now Sansad TV) - UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that the trajectory of the Ukraine conflict is a matter of profound concern for the entire international community. Without naming Russia , EAM remarks at UNSC came a day after the Russian President Vladimir Putin announced additional troops mobilisation in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine. India expressed its deep concern and reiterated its traditional position calling for a return to dialogue and diplomacy and cessation of hostilities. Last week Prime on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand in Uzbekistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told Russian President that today’s era is not of war . Later these remarks were cited by French President Emmanuel Macron and US National Security Advisor while urging Putin to end the conflict with Ukraine

Highlights and Analysis

• Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, external affairs minister S Jaishankar has said that India is on the side of peace in the Ukraine conflict and will remain there; it is on the side that respects the United Nations charter and its founding principles; on the side that calls for diplomacy and dialogue; and on the side of those struggling to make ends meet, even as they stare at escalating costs of food, fuel and fertilisers.
• India is on the side that respects the UN Charter and its founding principles and on the side that calls for dialogue and diplomacy as the only way out he said, but did not name Russia, which launched an invasion of Ukraine at the end of February this year.
• It is therefore in our collective interest to work constructively, both within the United Nations and outside, in finding an early resolution to this conflict.
• During his speech, Jaishankar focused on the transformational period in international politics currentlyplaying out, the series of shocks that had led to a reset in assumptions and policies, and projected India as a democratic and responsible power which was there in times of need for its neighbours and the global South while being the voice of reason in the global system.

India qualifies for UNSC Permanent membership

• India in many ways is a sui generis country. It’s a country of a billion-plus, it’s a country which is a democracy, perhaps the only example in history of a billion-plus people working together in a democratic framework.
• We will bring to it those values and strengths of being able to work cohesively among disparate entities.
• One of the biggest issues that will confront all multilateral organisations and certainly the security council will be issues which are beyond borders.
• Issues of the global commons, whether it is in cases of public health as we are now seeing in the current pandemic, but other issues, for example, cyber issues.
• A third one is issues of high seas. Again, beyond your EEZ [exclusive economic zone], there is very limited understanding of what states can do and what states can’t do.
• Another area of interest would obviously be technology with a human touch. Increasingly, resilience of human beings is an important factor that all of us have been confronted with where there are disasters, can we have a more humane approach to these, etc.

Reasons

• India was among the founding members of United Nations.
• India has been a leader and the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations Peacekeeping missions.
• India always has been upholding UN principles.
• It is a major big economic emergent power.
• India’s picture in the UN as well as in the world has increased whether it is the election of ICJ.

Way forward and Conclusion

• India should continue to make its efforts and we should grow at 10+ growth rate to achieve our target which will inturn help our bid.
• The credibility of UNSC has suffereda severe blow as it has been ineffective and inefficient in tackling the conflicts in different parts of the world such as Syria, Ukraine etc. In most of these situations UNSC has remained mere a mute spectator.
• Therefore the demand for reforms in the council has become a necessity to restore its credibility and effectiveness in maintaining international peace and security.
• India has been actively pursuing its quest to be included in the reformed United Nations Security Council for many years.
• The argument of including new members is that UNSC has to acknowledge the current geopolitical realities which are very different from the time when UNSC was formed.