 Hello and welcome to China's IIS Academy. I am Priya Kumari and today's special current affair topic is India at United Nations High Table. Why this is in news? This is in news because from January 1st, 2021, India began its eight stint at the UN Security Council as its non-permanent member. India was elected in June 2020, securing 183 out of 192 votes, showing overwhelming support for New Delhi. So, India will stay on the Council for two years. So, because of this, this topic was in news. So, India at United Nations Security Council. Like previously, India has served in the United Nations Security Council seven times previously. India will be United Nations Security Council President in August 2021 and will preside over the Council again for a month in 2022. So, the presidency of the Council is held by each of the members in turn of one month following the English alphabetical order of the Member States names. So, before proceeding again, we will see what is this United Nations Security Council. So, it is one of the organs of United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers include the establishment of peace keeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council resolutions. It is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states. So, the member states are like, it consists of 15 members, Russia, UK, France, China and USA. They serve as the body's permanent five members. And these permanent members can veto any substantive Security Council resolution, including those on the admission of new member states or candidates for secretary general. The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year terms. The body's presidency rotates monthly among its members. So, what are the powers of permanent and non-permanent members? The permanent members of the United Nations Security Council have a veto power. This veto allows any of these five countries to block the adoption of a resolution. However, they cannot end or prevent a debate through this power. So, until 2012, as many as 269 vetoes had been used in UN Security Council, China used it nine times, it was used 18 times of France, UK used it for 32 times, US 83 and maximum by Russia, that is 128 times. So, unlike permanent members of the Council, the non-permanent members do not have veto power individually, but they have collective right of veto. Any resolution of United Nations Security Council has to be passed by at least seven non-permanent members, even if all the permanent members support it. So, every member country of the Council, including the non-permanent members, also assumes the presidency of the Council every month. The presidency is determined in an alphabetical order. So, this allows them to decide the content and the theme of the debates which can draw attention to important issues of each member country with respect to international peace and security. So, what was India's role in UN Security Council? In 2011 and 2012, India was a strong voice for developing world peacekeeping counterterrorism and Africa. First statement on Syria was during India's presidency at the United Nations Security Council. So, again during the same term, India chaired the United Nations Council 1373 Committee Concerning Counterterrorism and 1566 Working Group Concerning Threat to International Peace and Security by Tourist Acts and Security Council 751 Oblique 1907 Committee Concerning Somalia and Eritrea. India also played an active role in discussion on all issues related to international peace and security, including several new challenges which the UN Security Council was called upon to deal with in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen. In view of the threat posed to international trade and security by piracy of the coast of Somalia, India promoted international cooperation against the pirates. At India's initiative, the Security Council mandated international cooperation for release of hostages taken by pirates as well as for prosecution of those taking hostages and those aiding and abetting these acts. India also worked for enhancing international cooperation in counterterrorism, prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to non-state actors and strengthening of UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts. So, now what is India's duty and power? So, India will have five overarching priorities under the acronym NOMS, that is New Orientation for a Reformed Multilateral System. India's non-permanent membership amid border tension with China might prove to be a silver lining for the country. Although China is a permanent United Nations Security Council member, India will get an opportunity to pursue concrete and result-oriented action. Then cross-border terrorism is another big problem that India has always been vocal about. Hence, India's presence in the United Nations Security Council will play a peacekeeping role in mitigating all forms of terrorism. But the major thrust which India is pushing, that is reform of the Security Council. India has time and again said that it is essential that the Security Council is expanded in both the permanent and non-permanent categories. India needs to go beyond the 1940s multilateral architecture and provide for greater representation of developing countries. India is eminently suited for permanent United Nations Security Council membership by any objective criteria, such as population, territorial size, GDP, economic potential, civilizational legacy, cultural diversity, political system and past and ongoing contribution to United Nations activities, especially to UN peacekeeping operation. So, that's all for today. Thank you. Don't forget to like, share and subscribe to our channel and press the bell icon to never miss an update.