Round The World
New Delhi, 28 September 2017
India’s
Quest For UNSC
TOUGH
TEST FOR MODI
By Dr.D.K.Giri
(Prof. International
Politics, JMI)
India made yet another bid
for becoming a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Foreign Minister Sushma
Swaraj reinforced New Delhi’s initiative in revamping the premier world body in
her speech at the 72nd UN General Assembly Session in New York this
fortnight. Her plea for securing UNSC’s membership came on the heels of Prime
Minister Modi’s diplomatic sojourns to major countries including the US
lobbying for India’s membership.
Recall, in 1950, India was
offered the UNSC’s membership by the US and others to represent the Asian
region. But then Prime Minister Nehru declined it and instead suggested that it
should be given to China then under Chiang Kai-shek’s dictatorship.
Pertinently, India was
preferred to China as the former was a democracy. Ever since, New Delhi has
been courting permanent Council member Moscow for its veto on Kashmir whenever the
Security Council threatens to pass any resolution indicting India. Undeniably,
our foreign policy has been largely influenced by the Soviet veto in India’s
favour on Kashmir. However, this is history.
Today, the UN clearly lacks
legitimacy as the UNSC remains under-represented. A leading expert on world
politics Columbia University’s Jeffery Sachs states, “Asia’s inadequate representation
poses a serious threat to the UN’s legitimacy, which will only increase as the
worlds’ most populous region assumes an increasingly important global role.”
He suggests that one possible
way to resolve the problem would be to add at least four Asian seats: one
permanent seat for India, another shared by Japan and Korea, perhaps on a two-year
or one-year rotation basis, next for ASEAN countries representing the group as
a single constituency and fourth rotation among other Asian nations.
Remember, over a decade ago
on 21 March 2005 UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called on UN members to reach
a consensus on expanding the Security Council to 24 members. He had devised a
plan for expansion of the Council called “In Larger Freedom”.
In fact, Sushma Swaraj
implored that the current Secretary General Antonio, Guterres, ex-Portugal Prime
Minister should make this happen. Asserting, “We have high expectations from
the new Secretary General. If he wants to reform the peace and security architecture
he will also need to address reforms related to
peace keeping that have been urged for long.”
Notably, UN’s reform requires
two thirds support of its 193 members. Interestingly, in this session 160
members have expressed their concurrence for the long-pending reforms of this
world body.
Indeed, India has been advocating
UN reforms for long. On the UNGA fringe G-4 countries --- India, Brazil,
Germany and Japan --- met to push for the change in UNSC by expanding the
number of both permanent and non-permanent members. There was support for UN restructuring in
general and for permanent membership of India in particular.
The Minister reminded the General
Assembly that “there was a consensus in the 2005 Summit that early reform of
the Security Council was an essential element for peace and security in the turbulent
world.
From India’s eyes it makes
the grade for UNSC’s permanent membership. Beginning with it being a UN founding
member, notwithstanding the UNSC’s permanent
membership being elusive, since Nehru declined the offer for some inexplicit
reasons.
Further, India is the second
most populous country with 1.3 billion people and is likely to overtake China in
becoming the world’s most populated country. Consequently, it is incongruous
that the largest country in terms of population representing one-sixth of world
humanity remains unrepresented in the highest world body.
Two, it is the world’s largest
democracy and one of the UN mission’s is to foster democracy in the world. As
it stands, India has remained a beacon for Asian countries as an unflinching
democracy. Three, it has been a non-permanent member of the UNSC for six terms
spanning 12 years. Hence, it is time that it becomes a permanent member.
Four, India is the seventh largest
economy in the world which is growing steadily barring minor hiccups, and is expected
not only to contribute to world trade and economy in 20 years’ but also overtake
Chinese economy. Besides, it is a member
of various rich countries groups like G-4 and G-77 which produce goods and
services for the entire world.
Five, India has the third largest
army in the world and has contributed 160,000 soldiers to the UN Peace Keeping Forces
in difficult conflict areas. Whereby, Indian soldiers have laid their lives for
the freedom and security of the countries under domination or in war.
Undoubtedly, the UNSC membership
will not be easy. True, New Delhi is diplomatically pushing its case with
warmth and charisma of Prime Minister Modi
efforts have to be taken to their logical end.
Moreover, there are a few
road-blocks in India’s membership journey. The UNSC membership has to expand
from 15 to 24, in order to accommodate Asia, Africa and Latin America. Alongside,
all five permanent members have to agree to its expansion.
The US and Britain have openly
endorsed India’s bid. France has also committed its support. Russia will not
oppose it, given our long-standing friendship. China, makes occasional sounds
in support of India’s membership, but is non-committal.
For instance, when Xi Jinping
visited New Delhi in 2014, he averred that China supports India’s UNSC membership.
This could have been mere rhetoric and a diplomatic statement, as Beijing has
been displaying anti-India posturing. India’s growing partnership with Japan
will further alienate China.
Clearly, New Delhi has to
initiate a different method of expanding the UN with the help of its friends.
Modi has been rubbing shoulders with the rest of the four permanent members and
other important countries like Japan and Germany.
Can he pull a rabbit out his
hat and secure the membership of UNSC for India before he goes to the polls in
coming 18 months?
Looks unlikely, as with many
of his initiatives he makes impressive beginnings with persuasive slogans and
one-liner policy formulations etc but the end results are yet to be seen. In
fact, it is typical of India’s foreign policy establishment from Nehru’s era to
drag issues until they fizzle out naturally.
In sum, NaMo must ‘break the
mould in India’s foreign policy without rocking the boat’. But the real and the
toughest test would be the UNSC membership. Will he succeed? We would like to
think so in India’s national interest. ---- INFA
(Copyright,
India News & Feature Alliance)
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