INDIA'S BID FOR THE PERMANENT SEAT IN THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL

With the reform of United Nations Security Council in talks, India is doing its best to win the bid for a permanent seat. India is supported openly by France, United States, Russia and United Kingdom. China has also offered support but only if India withdraws its support to Japan. India being the largest democracy and having the second largest population has many stands in its favor. It is one of the largest contributors of troops to United Nations peace keeping missions. It is also one the highest financial contributors to the UN.The permanent membership will not only elevate India as a global power but also the veto power could be used to defend its interests, like against Pakistan. This is one of the reasons Pakistan is opposing India’s proposal. According to some reports India was offered a seat in the UNSC by the US in 1955 but refused. Nehru believed that India should stay equidistant from the two superpowers during the Cold War and China should not turn into a permanent enemy. But to win a permanent seat today what really matters is economic power. India currently has a GDP of Rs.2 trillion which is far less than that of the permanent members. Other claimants like Germany and Japan are much bigger economies. This weakens India’s claim a bit. But India is also the second fastest growing economy in the world. It is an ideal destination for foreign investment and future growth. Another factor that works against India is that it has never displayed a decisive position in the world affairs. It has always taken non interfering middle path whereas the world expects its greater role. That has made it look paradoxical at the UNSC. But India can turn its ‘balance’ into its advantage but investing more in south –south cooperation. A lot of Central Asian countries want India to play balancer against the possible dominance of Russia and China. India has the worldwide reputation for being strategically autonomous which will go a long way in south-south cooperation. India still has many challenges in its way but it is still a strong candidature for the UNSC permanent seat. If not this year, India would surely secure a seat in the coming years with its reputation and fast growing economy.

Deepanshi Sharma