SHOULD INDIA BE GIVEN A PERMANENT SEAT IN UNSC?
By Ananya Dasgupta and Riddhima Agrawal (F/377 and B/017) Friday, May 31, 2024
The United Nations Security Council plays an important part in maintaining world peace. UNSC is divided into permanent and non-permanent members and the 5 permanent members exert supreme power. As the world embraces the 21st century with glee, there has been an ongoing debate about expanding the permanent membership of the UNSC.
There are many contenders for this position, but the Republic of India shines out. In its 75 years of independent history, India always remained a democracy. Democracy is not the only merit of India. It has the largest population in the world and is a major military power. Recently, India became the 5th largest economy in the world surpassing Britain. India is the fastest-growing economy and fastest-emerging regional power in geopolitics. It is also the 4th most powerful country in the world.
India has contributed massively to the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, whether in the face of vaccines or food grain supplies, which was appreciated by the international community. India has had immense experience in handling sensitive various issues like Kashmir, Indo-Pakistan, and Indo-China wars Which makes India an asset in addressing world security. And in all of these wars India has sided with peace and only in dire situations has it sided with war.
India's inclusion would bring diverse perspectives, enhance the validity of the UNSC, and ensure a more inclusive decision-making process that considers the interests of a broader range of nations. `
If India is not given a permanent seat in the Security Council, yes, it is some loss to India, but it is a larger loss for the United Nations. If the UN wants to maintain its relevance in the 21st century, then it needs to be more inclusive and open. And only then it will reflect its name, getting the nations united.
- Ananya Dasgupta and Riddhima Agrawal (F/377 and B/017)
