When will India be a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council?

Posted on June 25, 2009
Filed Under Blogging, India | 5 Comments

It has been a lone and long cry of India for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). A perusal of the choosing and election of India to be in that top decision making organ in the world shows some sort of bias by its existing members. So who are the big boys? Guess? None other than our favourite – - United States, Russia, China, Great Britain, and France.

One of the jealousy-gripped countries that has opposed to India being on the Security Council list is China. It sometimes follows a dual-track policy. May be always? It wants to remain as the only Asian country in the list.

When the countries had signed in for the permanent membership, the only criteria were the possession of nuclear weapons. However, with India acquiring one, the council became very tight-lipped and later declared that possessing of nuclear weapon is not the criteria for becoming one. I do agree and completely kowtow the council for rejecting the dangerous concept. If it still follows that system, guess who else can be there? Pakistan, North Korea..etc..

But India must seriously be in that list not just for possessing nuclear weapon but also for its powerful status and the paramountcy it claims in the modern world. India, the world’s largest democracy and second most populous country, is one of the largest contributors of troops to UN-mandated peace-keeping missions. UN indeed is a peace-keeping body and its survival without troops is unimaginable.

Other countries that have demanded for permanent seats are Brazil, Germany and Japan. Japan and Germany are the UN’s second and third largest funders. So why are they not included? Together these four countries are called G4 nations. It’s an alliance for the purpose of supporting each other’s bid for permanent seats on the UNSC. The G4 nations are regularly elected to two-year terms on the Security Council. India tops them all by being elected for six terms.

Understandably, the G4 brothers must be having some opposition. And this opposition is called the Coffee Club. The leaders of this group are Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Argentina and Pakistan. China is opposing its East Asian partner Japan while Pakistan is opposing its South Asian partner India. Pakistan sometimes really is a pain in the neck. It wanted to possess nuclear weapons immediately India got one. It wanted to improve its combat jets, immediately India developed Agni – - one of the most powerful. And in all these endeavors, it is China who’s helping our neighbor. China improved Pakistan’s weaponry fearing India’s growth. Now, with Taliban menace everything is in a tizzy. Nobody knows if Pakistan’s nuclear weapons are safe.

I echo myself with Mr Hardeep Singh Puri, chief representative of the country to the UN, who recently at the informal plenary meeting of the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly, said: “Veto should be extended to new permanent members. This is predicated on the logical and principled position that there can be no discrimination within the same category of members of the Security Council.”

“Let me reiterate that attempts to merely make cosmetic changes, limit our efforts to actions that we know will not succeed, or block progress altogether through procedural manoeuvrings, are doomed to fail against the inevitability of a reform that is long overdue,” Mr. Puri said.

Thankfully, Israel has always been with India and has strongly demanded India be included in the list. Former US assistant secretary of state for South Asia Karl F. Inderfurth also pitched for making India a permanent member. ”India’s contribution to the United Nations’ peace keeping activities for so many years and the country’s importance internationally make it a natural candidate for permanent membership,” he said.

Last year, UK’s Gordown Brown said, India should be given a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council to reflect its status as an emerging global power.

“India is a good example of a powerful country, the biggest democracy in the world, that deserves a seat at the top table,” another official from that country said.

This week, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns called the United States to support India as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

India and the US can play a major role in shaping the future of the world by working together, he added.

I hope the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly recently held will support India’s cause for a permanent seat. India, the most vibrant, liberal, secular democracy can play a pivotal role in the peacekeeping body. Let me also bring to the notice of my readers that: India is a responsible and peace-loving nation with a powerful armed forces firmly under civilian control. India unlike other countries has a strong record of non-proliferation. Also India is the fourth largest economy and one of the fastest growing.

One of the top UN member once opposed to India’s appeal for inclusion and said, “India is overpowered by Hindu fundamentalists and the country also faces caste discrimination and Dalits problems..etc..hence must not be there.”

I would like to ask that sweet person why the Communist China with horrible human rights record is there in the list. And Russia, which has committed one of worst crimes in the world, is there. France accused for past nuclear deals with Saddam is there. So why this holier-than-thou attitude? So its time to make some amends and include the G4 nations as permanent members. I am not being partisan; I would love all the G4 nations to be there. Seriously!

Adios ~ SAM

Comments

5 Responses to “When will India be a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council?”

  1. DJ Subha on June 26th, 2009 5:23 pm

    India will never get this position because of Pakistan and China. Both these countries oppose India’s demand for a permanent seat. Now, with the Taliban’s increasing problems, the world will know India was right and its voice must be heard while countries like Pakistan and China, the criminal brothers, must be prosecuted.

  2. Hindu on June 27th, 2009 12:00 pm

    India should follow a policy like China. We don’t need to be an ally of America to be benefited in any of our industry. India can survive on its own without the world. Instead of relying on American and European friends, it should go straight to the UN and make its demand!!

  3. ILoveIndia on July 7th, 2009 8:53 pm

    Hello Sam

    I am British and I like your site and I really like India (although I admit I’ve never visited but hey… I have a dream to).

    Personally I am all in favour of India getting a permanent seat at the UN if you really want it.

    Although I have to say I don’t feel to excited about the UN as a whole anyway. I’m almost tempted to say you can have our seat if you want it.

    Honestly I think India is fully deserving of any prestige afforded by a permanent seat but on the other hand I feel the UN is not a particularly effective body.

    There are horrific crimes going on all over the world in places like Sudan – or in Iran there was all that trouble recently. Ban Ki Moon comes along and says its terrible but at the end of the day nothing gets done.

    On Iraq the US tried to get the UN to support its war – the UN refused but the US went ahead anyway.

    It reminds me a bit of the Hague recently issueing an arrest warrent for Omar Bashir in Sudan. Great idea – but oops. Actually we don’t have the power to arrest him.

    It all seems so toothless that I often feel the UN is a bit of a waste of time to be honest. Maybe you can correct me on this as I admit I haven not devoted hours of research to this, but what does the UN actually do which is of any serious benefit?

    As I said I love India and I certainly think you deserve a place at the top with the other big powers – but honestly is a permanent seat at the UN really that great?

    The whole idea of having “permanent members” seems undemocratic to me anyway. If the whole world is like global village then surely every member of that village should be equal, although having said that I don’t think I’d like the Kim’s, Ahmadinejads’ and Bashir’s of this world deciding how I live my life.

  4. Indianiser on July 22nd, 2009 4:14 am

    UN is a very respected body. Although not many countries heed to its policies, demands..it does play a critical role from subjugating escalating problems between countries, relationships. India considers UN very important and India till today has always respected UN’s demands. Indeed having a permanent seat will render veto rights and further will help India in tackling the Kashmir issue with Pakistan and so many other superficial and crucial cases which very much must be addressed asap.

  5. rishi on May 20th, 2011 9:20 am

    the matter posted,is an evoking matter to the youth and it is awesome

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