India gets UNSC seat after 19 yrs

India is all set to get a seat on the Security Council as a non-permanent member after a gap of 19 years through the elections to be held tomorrow in the United Nations General Assembly.

India is expecting an easy win since Kazakhstan pulled out from the race earlier this year and there is no other challenger from the region.

In the run-up to the elections, the Indian envoy to the UN, Mr Hardeep Singh Puri, had pointed out that BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) nations will occupy places in the Security Council in the coming year, and could present a united front on several international issues.

“BRIC coordination in the Security Council becomes a fact of life,” Puri had said. Indian diplomats have been canvassing for the past three years. To win, India needs two-thirds of the General Assembly vote, which adds up to about 128 giving the green light to India. India’s last stint on the Security Council was in 1992.

While the Asian, African and Latin American seats are going uncontested with only one candidate each, the two seats for Western Europe and others Group are being fought for by Canada, Germany and Portugal.

Meanwhile, India is pushing for Council reform and hoping that change comes in the next two years while it is already in the Council.