Article 3: UNSC Reform and India’s Bid for Permanent Membership
Why in news: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is in New York for the UN General Assembly, where discussions include UNSC reform, multilateralism, global crises and India's bid for permanent membership.
Key Details
- The UN Security Council (UNSC) has 15 members: 5 permanent members and 10 non-permanent members.
- The P5 - China, France, Russia, the UK and the US - enjoy veto power over substantive resolutions.
- The 10 non-permanent members are elected by the UN General Assembly for two-year terms, with seats distributed among regional groups.
- India has served as a non-permanent member eight times, most recently during 2021–2022, and supports UNSC reform.
- India advocates expanded and more representative Security Council membership, including a permanent seat for itself, along with greater representation for developing regions.
Composition
- The UN Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.
- It has 15 members in total.
- Five permanent members (P5) are: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
- The remaining 10 members are non-permanent members, elected by the UN General Assembly.
Permanent Membership
- The five permanent members have a special position because they possess the veto power.
- A veto by any one permanent member can prevent the adoption of a substantive resolution.
- The P5 reflect the power structure that existed when the UN was established in 1945.
Non-Permanent Members
- The 10 non-permanent members are elected for two-year terms.
- They cannot be immediately re-elected for another consecutive term.
- Elections are held by the UN General Assembly.
- A country needs a two-thirds majority of members present and voting to be elected.
Regional Representation
- The 10 elected seats are distributed among geographical regions to ensure equitable regional representation.
- The current distribution is:
- Africa – 3 seats
- Asia-Pacific – 2 seats
- Latin America and Caribbean – 2 seats
- Western European and Others – 2 seats
- Eastern Europe – 1 seat
- This arrangement allows different regions to participate in the Council's work.
Role of Non-Permanent Members
- Non-permanent members participate in all Security Council discussions and decisions.
- They have the same one vote as permanent members.
- They can serve as Council President on a rotational basis.
- They can influence negotiations on resolutions, statements and other Council decisions.
India and UNSC Membership
- India has served as a non-permanent member of the UNSC eight times.
- Its most recent term was 2021–2022.
- India has repeatedly supported reform of the Security Council.
- It seeks a permanent seat for itself as part of broader reforms to make the Council more representative of contemporary global realities.
UNSC Reform
- The structure of the Security Council has remained largely unchanged since 1945, despite major changes in global political and economic realities.
- Countries including India, Brazil, Germany and Japan have advocated expansion of both permanent and non-permanent membership.
- The G4 countries support each other's aspirations for permanent membership.
- Developing countries have also called for greater representation of Africa.
Importance of Membership
- Membership gives countries an opportunity to participate directly in discussions concerning international peace and security.
- The Council deals with issues such as armed conflicts, sanctions, peacekeeping operations and international security threats.
- Membership also provides countries with a platform to place their regional and global concerns before the international community.
Conclusion
The UNSC is the UN's principal body for maintaining international peace and security. However, its membership structure largely reflects the geopolitical realities of 1945. The changing global balance has strengthened demands for Security Council reform. India argues that greater representation of developing countries and emerging powers would make the Council more inclusive, representative and responsive to contemporary international challenges.
PRELIMS question:
Consider the following statements:
Statement 1: The addition of new permanent members to the UN Security Council would require an amendment to the UN Charter.
Statement 2: Under Article 108 of the UN Charter, such an amendment requires ratification by two-thirds of UN members, including all existing permanent members of the Security Council.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
- Both statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and statement 2 explains statement 1
- Both statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and statement 2 does not explains statement 1
- Statement 1 is correct, but Statement 2 is incorrect
- Statement 2 is correct, but Statement 1 is incorrect
Answer: a
Source: The Indian Express