Why in the News?
UK PM Keir Starmer has expressed strong support for India’s bid for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
About United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
| Details | |
| Establishment | By the UN Charter in 1945 as one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. |
| Other UN Organs | General Assembly, Trusteeship Council, Economic and Social Council, International Court of Justice, Secretariat |
| Primary Responsibility | Maintaining international peace and security |
| Headquarters | New York City, USA |
| Members | 15 members: 5 permanent members (US, UK, Russia, China, France) and 10 non-permanent members (elected for two-year terms) |
| Permanent Members | US, UK, Russia, China, France |
| Non-permanent Members | 10 elected members; require two-thirds majority in the General Assembly to be elected |
| Presidency Rotation | Every month among the 15 members |
| Voting and Veto Power | Permanent members have veto power; non-permanent members have no veto but resolutions require at least 7 non-permanent members’ votes for approval, even with unanimous permanent support |
| India’s Participation | India has been elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC eight times: 1950-51, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1977-78, 1984-85, 1991-92, 2011-12, 2021-22 |
| Responsibilities & Powers | Mediation, dispatching UN missions, appointing envoys, issuing ceasefire directives, peacekeeping, sanctions, arms embargo, and issuing binding resolutions |
| UNSC Reforms Process | Stage 1: Requires a two-thirds majority (128 votes) in the General Assembly (193 member states) for approval. Stage 2: Amended Charter must be ratified by at least two-thirds of member states, including all five permanent members, who may exercise veto power. Their national parliaments also influence the ratification process. |
PYQ:[2009] The Security Council of UN consists of 5 permanent members, and the remaining 10 members are elected by the General Assembly for a term of: (a) 1 year (b) 2 years (c) 3 years (d) 5 years [2015] Discuss the impediments India is facing in its pursuit of a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. |
