<p>The end of 2012 will see India complete an eventful two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, leaving the high-table of the world body with confidence of returning "very" soon having established its credentials as a dominant global power.<br /><br /></p>.<p>India joined the 15-nation Council in January, 2011, after a gap of 19 years, winning an overwhelmingly high number of votes, which its Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri described as a "resounding endorsement" from the international community.<br /><br />India served as President of the Council in August 2011, and November this year and was also Chair of the Counter Terrorism Committee.<br /><br />It introduced "zero tolerance" towards terrorism in the UN lexicon during its term. It also presided over the Security Council Committee concerning Somalia and Eritrea sanctions.<br /><br />From being embroiled in a bitter war of words with Pakistan, which also sits on the Security Council as a non-permanent member, on the issue of Kashmir to unveiling the low cost Aakash tablet at the world body amid a controversy over its made-in-China components, India's year at the UN was eventful and closely watched.<br /><br />Sources in the Indian mission here have voiced concern that "hurdles" are being placed in the 193-member Assembly for Security Council reform but added that India hopes to come back to the Council "very very quickly."<br /><br />Puri also expressed confidence that it will not be long before India returns to the Council.<br />"When India joined the Council last year, I had made an assessment that we have no intention to leave the Council. We have every intention to stay on. This can be done in two ways -- seek re-election quickly and through Security Council reform. We will do both," Puri said.<br /><br />"Once you have been able to demonstrate that you have the wherewithal to be a Council member, you must make sure that you are on the Council," he said.<br /><br />"India did not behave like a country which came on the Council after 19 years. It behaved as if it belongs to the Council," he added.<br /><br />During its tenure, India made a strong push for expansion in permanent and non-permanent categories of the Security Council "to make it reflect contemporary realities", saying that the Security Council in its present structure "serves no one's purpose."<br /><br />India has proposed that an expanded Council should have a total of 25-26 members.<br />Puri asserted that India has demonstrated through its "maturity and constructive contribution" that it rightly deserves a permanent seat at the Council and offers a promise that it will not take another 19 years for India to return to the Council.<br /><br />"The struggle for Security Council expansion is uphill but this peak can be scaled and will be scaled," he told PTI.</p>
<p>The end of 2012 will see India complete an eventful two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, leaving the high-table of the world body with confidence of returning "very" soon having established its credentials as a dominant global power.<br /><br /></p>.<p>India joined the 15-nation Council in January, 2011, after a gap of 19 years, winning an overwhelmingly high number of votes, which its Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri described as a "resounding endorsement" from the international community.<br /><br />India served as President of the Council in August 2011, and November this year and was also Chair of the Counter Terrorism Committee.<br /><br />It introduced "zero tolerance" towards terrorism in the UN lexicon during its term. It also presided over the Security Council Committee concerning Somalia and Eritrea sanctions.<br /><br />From being embroiled in a bitter war of words with Pakistan, which also sits on the Security Council as a non-permanent member, on the issue of Kashmir to unveiling the low cost Aakash tablet at the world body amid a controversy over its made-in-China components, India's year at the UN was eventful and closely watched.<br /><br />Sources in the Indian mission here have voiced concern that "hurdles" are being placed in the 193-member Assembly for Security Council reform but added that India hopes to come back to the Council "very very quickly."<br /><br />Puri also expressed confidence that it will not be long before India returns to the Council.<br />"When India joined the Council last year, I had made an assessment that we have no intention to leave the Council. We have every intention to stay on. This can be done in two ways -- seek re-election quickly and through Security Council reform. We will do both," Puri said.<br /><br />"Once you have been able to demonstrate that you have the wherewithal to be a Council member, you must make sure that you are on the Council," he said.<br /><br />"India did not behave like a country which came on the Council after 19 years. It behaved as if it belongs to the Council," he added.<br /><br />During its tenure, India made a strong push for expansion in permanent and non-permanent categories of the Security Council "to make it reflect contemporary realities", saying that the Security Council in its present structure "serves no one's purpose."<br /><br />India has proposed that an expanded Council should have a total of 25-26 members.<br />Puri asserted that India has demonstrated through its "maturity and constructive contribution" that it rightly deserves a permanent seat at the Council and offers a promise that it will not take another 19 years for India to return to the Council.<br /><br />"The struggle for Security Council expansion is uphill but this peak can be scaled and will be scaled," he told PTI.</p>