Chance For India To Make Its Mark On UN Stage

Context: The UNSC monthly presidency is high on symbolism. Still, it provides a unique opportunity to showcase India as a ‘different’ power as well as to make a difference to the functioning of the UNSC and to international peace and security.

Four crucial areas wherein the Indian leadership will matter:

1. Gender equality: Indian statement called for “meaningful participation of women in decision-making, substantially strengthen prevention efforts, deepen the effectiveness of peace-building and develop stability in society.
   • This issue pertains to the long-standing UNSC resolution 1325 (2000) that was a landmark step for linking gender equality with the maintenance of international peace and security.
   • India could lead the Council to effectively integrate ‘women, peace and security (WPS) considerations, especially by including the list of “terrorist entities involved in violence against women in armed conflicts.
2. Call for principles of justice, impartiality and fairness:
   • Debate on International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) indicated another front wherein India reiterated its “support for the mechanism and commended its contribution to the fight against impunity and to the preservation of the legacy of the international tribunal for former Yugoslavia and International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda”.
   • Though India is not a party to the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, yet this support to the residual mechanism became crucial in drawing of the ‘red lines’ for the perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the conflict zones.
3. Trusteeship of the planet: PM’s reference to trusteeship of the planet at the G20 (Riyadh) virtual meeting calls for revival of the UN Trusteeship Council with a new mandate for the environment and the global commons.
4. Having Indian agenda listed in UNSC’s itinerary:  The UNSC has still not addressed the issue of J&K after the last UNSC resolution 307 (1971). It is now also known to all that India does aspire for a permanent seat at the horseshoe table.

Way Forward: The PM needs to ‘speak the language of international law’ in confabulation with heads of state and government and act as a voice of moderation, an advocate of dialogue and a proponent of international law.

• India’s stand as the ‘proponent of international law’ as well as international law being a crucial part of the tripod of the Indian vision on maintenance of international peace and security, needs to be reflected in all the substantive issues.