Source: TOI
Context:
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar launched India’s campaign for a 2028–29 non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council (UNSC) by unveiling the SHANTI Vision, which emphasizes international norms, mutual trust, integrity, and stronger representation for the Global South.
About SHANTI Vision
What is it?
The SHANTI Vision stands for Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity. It serves as India’s diplomatic framework for its 2028–29 UNSC campaign, promoting an inclusive, rules-based international order and strengthening the voice of developing countries in global governance.
Key Features
- Global South Focus: Seeks greater representation of developing countries in global decision-making and addresses their developmental and financial concerns.
- Rules-Based International Order: Advocates respect for international law, multilateralism, trust, and integrity in global governance.
- UN Peacekeeping Reforms: Supports better-equipped, technology-enabled peacekeeping missions and promotes the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda.
- Addressing Global Challenges: Calls for stronger international cooperation to tackle terrorism, climate change, maritime security, and other transnational threats.
- Responsible Technology Governance: Encourages global norms for the safe, transparent, and responsible use of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.
- Development Partnerships: Highlights India’s role as a trusted development partner through infrastructure and capacity-building projects in 79 countries, promoting development as a pathway to peace.
India and the UNSC
- The UN Security Council (UNSC) consists of 15 members:
- 5 Permanent Members (P5): China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
- 10 Non-Permanent Members: Elected by the UN General Assembly for two-year terms.
- India has served as a non-permanent member eight times:
- 1950–51
- 1967–68
- 1972–73
- 1977–78
- 1984–85
- 1991–92
- 2011–12
- 2021–22
- India has contributed nearly 3 lakh personnel to around 50 UN peacekeeping missions, making it one of the world’s largest contributors.
- India continues to advocate comprehensive UNSC reforms, including expansion of both permanent and non-permanent membership to better reflect present-day geopolitical realities.
