India has been fighting for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council for the last 20 years but our efforts are yet to fructify. Only when the UN agrees to the implementation of the proposed reform measures will the Security Council be expanded.
Sushma Swaraj, our Union minister for external affairs, is of the considered opinion that the environment is favourable for UN reforms and, as soon as the reforms proposal is passed, the Security Council will be expanded to include more members. Consequent to this, India will fight for a permanent seat in the Security Council and Ms Swaraj has assured the country that India’s victory is certain given the strong support its bid has from various countries.
Permanent membership has its own significance as it comes with veto power — a country having permanent UNSC membership can exercise veto against any proposal. For example, whenever there has been any proposal against India in the Security Council, Russia has prevented its passage by exercising its veto. Now India wants the same power and privilege for herself.
The argument the Indian government is putting forth for a permanent seat in the UNSC is that India is a large, global economy that’s quickly moving from a developing to a developed one. Besides, India has a population of 125 crore, a huge human resource — therefore, it is not inferior to China in any consideration. Denial of a permanent seat to India would be nothing but injustice against this emerging economic superpower.
There is not an iota of doubt that India deserves a permanent membership in the UNSC, but at the same time we need to introspect on our domestic issues and our weaknesses. If there is one country which is vociferously campaigning against India’s claim for a permanent seat it is Pakistan, and Pakistan is doing it through China. China knows that it has no grounds to openly oppose India’s genuine demand for a permanent Security Council membership, therefore, it is opposing UN reforms per se.
As part of an Indian delegation, I’ve been to the UN on a 15-day tour. I participated in meetings of all of its six committees and also had the opportunity to address the UN General Assembly in its main Assembly building. I also had the privilege of casting the vote on the Cuba proposal on India’s behalf. Taking this opportunity, I discussed India’s interest for permanent membership in the UNSC. All of them were of the view that they want to support India, but somewhere they also gave the impression that India should also realise her responsibilities in the UN. Unless India proves that she is moving to become a developed country, nobody will take her with the seriousness that the five powerful countries command.
India’s economic contribution to the UN is meager, but its remittance from the UN for participation in peacekeeping missions is massive. As long as we keep ourselves in the rank of poor countries in terms of your economic contribution, how can we claim to be a country moving rapidly to become developed, considering that UN requires millions of dollars for its numerous financial assistance schemes and peacekeeping missions The country that contributes more money to the UN is listened to, was their argument. That voting privileges should not be divorced from financial responsibilities.
I felt depressed by such remarks and immediately gathered facts. My findings made me speechless: India contributes $11 million per annum, approximately Rs 73 crore, and this figure matches the contribution of many poor countries. Article 17 of the UN Charter states that the “expenses of the Organisation shall be borne by the Members as apportioned by the General Assembly.” Many times, our permanent representative has recommended that India contribute at least $20 million, if not $50 million, but we are not acceding to such recommendations.
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced financial assistance of $1 billion (Rs 6,500 crore) to African countries. Compared to this India’s contribution to the UN is a joke. America contributes more than $500 million to the UN, accounting for 22 per cent of the UN’s total budget. Apart from its annual contribution, America also provides Rs 18,000 crore towards the UN’s peacekeeping and security missions. The other permanent members, China, Germany, UK and France contribute $265 million (12.5 per cent), $170 million (8 per cent), $140 million (6.6 per cent) and $106 million (5 per cent) respectively. India’s contribution, Rs 73 crore, is half a per cent of the UN budget, and against this it gets nearly Rs 600 crore from the UN for peacekeeping activities. Even today, India has an outstanding of $110 million from the UN.
It is up to the wisdom of our leaders to understand how important our demand for a permanent Security Council seat in the UN is and how to make our bid compelling.
India’s campaign for permanent UNSC membership was initiated by Rajiv Gandhi and taken forward by Narasimha Rao, Atal Behari Vajpayee, Dr Manmohan Singh and now Mr Modi.
There is definitely global support for India becoming a permanent UNSC member and if India can manage to push for the proposed reform, while raising its economic contribution to at least $50 million or Rs 300 crore, it will create an enabling environment for India’s claim of a permanent seat at UNSC.
The writer is a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha and former Union Minister. The views expressed are personal.
