Lok Sabha Question No. 4079 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-17
Subject: Non-permanent UNSC Seat
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Sudheer Gupta, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4079 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.7.2019

## NON-PERMANENT UNSC SEAT

## 4079.     SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK: SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA: SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Asia Pacific Group, one of the five regional bodies of the United Nations (UN) has unanimously endorsed India's candidature for the non-permanent seat of the Security Council for two years and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether this unprecedented support from various countries would give fresh impetus to India's claim for permanent membership of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether   India   sought   urgent   reform   of   the   UN   including   the expansion of Security Council for permanent membership to reflect correctly the global reality and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether India's claim has been supported by many non-permanent and permanent members of the UN and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the further steps taken/ proposed to be taken to augment the efforts to garner enough support from other countries including China?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [SHRI. V. MURALEEDHARAN]

(a) & (b) India announced its candidature for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) non-permanent seat for the term 2021-2022 for the lone seat available for the Asia-Pacific Group (APG) in November 2013. In June 2019, India's candidature to UNSC non-permanent seat for 2021-22 term was endorsed by the 55 member APG. As many as 45 countries (including India) from APG made statements supporting India's candidature, and no country opposed our candidature. Elections for UNSC non-permanent seat for the term 2021-22 will be held in June 2020 in New York.

India has been elected to the UNSC as non-permanent member seven times earlier (for the terms 1950-51, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1977-78, 1984-85, 1991-92 and 2011-12). India's performance as non-permanent member of the UNSC during these terms, along with active participation in

UN activities, have strengthened India's claim to permanent membership of UNSC.

(c) to (e) India has called for urgent reforms of the UNSC, including its expansion   in   both   permanent   and   non-permanent   categories   of membership, to make it more reflective of the contemporary geo-political realities. A   series   of   initiatives   involving   bilateral   and   multilateral platforms have been undertaken by the Government in pursuance of this objective.

A   large   number   of   countries   including   permanent   and   nonpermanent members of UNSC have supported India's candidature for permanent membership in an expanded UNSC. This has been expressed in various forms and fora including in bilateral intergovernmental meetings and discussions.

India   is   actively   engaged   in   the   ongoing   Inter-Governmental Negotiations   on   UNSC   reform   at   the   UN.   In   September   2016,   India participated in the meetings of the "Group of Friends on Security Council Reform" which supports urgent reform of the UNSC including an expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories of membership and early commencement of text based negotiations in the IGN on this issue. India also has been working alongside other reform-oriented countries through   its   membership   of   the   G-4   Group   (India,   Japan,   Brazil   and Germany) and the L.69 Group (cross-regional  grouping   of   developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America)  to build support among UN Member States for expansion of the UNSC.

***