Indian PM Narendra Modi to preside over meeting of UNSC
Prime Minster Narendra Modi will begin presiding over the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) today as representative for the month of August after India’s assumption of the rotating presidency.
Joining the UNSC in January 2021 for a two-year non-permanent term, India intends to organise events around three key focus areas: maritime security, peacekeeping operations and counterterrorism.
In the immediate term, expect the issue of Afghanistan to be heavily deliberated in the meeting as a consequence of escalating violence and India’s support for an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled peace process. India intends to closely monitor the security situation and has emphasised encouragement toward an immediate and inclusive ceasefire arrangement.
In the intermediate term, expect India to heavily campaign for a permanent seat on the UNSC citing outdated structures set after WWII; as have other states including Germany, Brazil and Japan.
In the longer-term, expect the US, France, Britain and Russia to support India’s efforts toward permanency on the UNSC. China, however, will likely oppose India’s permanency due to China’s ties with India’s arch-opposition, Pakistan. A permanent seat would give India significant influence in multilateral geo-political decisions regarding international conflict and negotiations; confirming their position on the emerging new international landscape.
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