Lok Sabha Question No. 184 (STARRED), answered on 2017-03-15
Subject: Contribution to UN Budget
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: RAHUL KASWAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.184 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2017

## CONTRIBUTION TO UN BUDGET

- *184. SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether India contributes to the United Nations budget;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with funds contributed by major countries;
- (c) the details of India's contribution to the UN agencies in India during the last six years (2010 to 2016); and
- (d) the details of income tax exemption extended by India for the UN staff working in India during the last three years?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRIMATI SUSHMA SWARAJ)

- (a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO  PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 184 REGARDING 'CONTRIBUTION TO THE UN BUDGET' FOR ANSWER ON 15.03.2017

Each  member  state  of  the  United  Nations  is  required  to  contribute  to  the United  Nation's  Regular  and  Peacekeeping  budgets.  These  obligatory  contributions are calculated based on a member's relative 'capacity to pay', defined through a scale of assessment that takes into account the member's Gross National Income relative to the  Global  Gross  National  Income,  adjusted  further  for  the  level  of  its  national external debt and  low  per capita income.  While  being  applied  to  the  UN's Peacekeeping  budget,  this  Scale  of  Assessment  is  further  modified  to  take  into account  the  additional  principle  that  since  all  Permanent  Members  of  the  Security Council bear special responsibilities for the maintenance of international peace and security  they  must  contribute  additional  amounts  to  the  UN's  peacekeeping  budget. From  time  to  time  India  also  makes  voluntary  contributions  to  UN  agencies  and programs from the budget of this Ministry.

For the period 2016-18, India's Scale of Assessment for the UN's Regular and Peacekeeping budgets has been fixed at 0.737% and 0.1474% respectively.  India's actual contribution to United Nations paid out of the budget of this Ministry in the last 6 financial years are:

| Financial Year                              | 2010-11   | 2011-12   | 2012-13   | 2013-14   | 2014-15   | 2015-16   |
|---------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Contribution to United Nations Organization | 143.77 cr | 153.13 cr | 150.96 cr | 138 cr    | 157 cr    | 244 cr    |

India's voluntary contributions to International organizations, including various UN agencies and programs, for the last 6 financial years are:

| Financial Year                                                    |   2010-11 |   2011-12 |   2012-13 |   2013-14 |   2014-15 |   2015-16 |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Voluntary contribution to International Organizations (In crores) |     13.16 |     18.07 |     21.36 |     31.35 |        24 |        22 |

The list of top 10 contributing countries to the UN regular budget for 2017 are following:

| Country                     |   USA |   Japan |   China |   Germany |   France |      UK |   Brazil |   Italy |   Russia |   Canada |
|-----------------------------|-------|---------|---------|-----------|----------|---------|----------|---------|----------|----------|
| Scale of assessments (%)    |    22 |    9.68 |   7.921 |     6.389 |    4.859 |   4.463 |    3.823 |   3.748 |    3.088 |    2.921 |
| Contributions (million US$) |   610 |  244    | 200     |   161     |  123     | 113     |   96     |  95     |   78     |   74     |

The  list  of  top  10  contributing  countries  (in  percentage  terms)  to  the  UN peacekeeping budget for 2017 are following:

| Country                  |   USA |   China |   Japan |   Germany |   France |   UK |   Russia |   Italy |   Canada |   Spain |
|--------------------------|-------|---------|---------|-----------|----------|------|----------|---------|----------|---------|
| Scale of assessments (%) | 28.46 |   10.25 |    9.68 |      6.38 |     6.28 | 5.77 |     3.99 |    3.74 |     2.92 |    2.44 |

As per Section 18 (b) of the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1947, Act No. 46 of 1947, officials of the UN shall be exempt from taxation on the salaries  and  emoluments  to  them  by  the  United  Nations.    Since  Income  tax  is  not levied  on  the  salaries  of  the  UN  officials  in  India,  data  of  income  tax  exemption extended by India for the UN officials working in India does not exist.

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