India to espouse peaceful settlement of disputes during its UNSC term

Even as it lost 20 of its soldiers in a violent clash with Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), India on Thursday said that it would keep arguing for peaceful settlement of disputes around the world during its forthcoming two-year-term at the UNSC beginning from January 2021.

“We will act as a voice of reason and moderation and a firm believer in respect for international law and peaceful settlement of disputes,” Vikas Swarup, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said, hours after India was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) during an election at the headquarters of the international organisation in New York early on Thursday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too said that India would work with all members of the UNSC to promote “global peace.”

India’s vow to support peaceful settlement of disputes as a member of the UNSC came days after its own boundary row with China turned violent and it lost 20 of its soldiers in a clash with the neighbouring country’s PLA at Galwan Valley in Ladakh.

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Swarup, however, did not refer to the incident on India-China disputed boundary, while briefing media-persons about India’s election to the UNSC with “overwhelming support”, garnering 184 votes out of 192 valid votes polled. India was elected unopposed as it was the sole candidate for the Asia-Pacific seat on the Security Council.

“This was made possible because Afghanistan had withdrawn in our favour in 2013 for which we thank the Government of Afghanistan,” said MEA Secretary. The Asia Pacific group of the UN includes China and Pakistan, apart from India. Though all the members of the Asia-Pacific group had endorsed the candidature of India to be elected as a non-permanent member of the council, Pakistan purportedly backed out during voting and did not vote in favour of India.

Read: All you need to know about Ghulam Rassul Galwan — The man after whom the Galwan river was named

The two-year-term will be the eighth of India as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, the last being 2011-12.

“As the world's largest democracy, a major contributor to UN peacekeeping operations and a strong votary of the rights of developing countries, India will bring its own unique strengths and perspective to the Security Council,” said Swarup.

“Deeply grateful for the overwhelming support shown by the global community for India's membership of the @UN Security Council. India will work with all member countries to promote global peace, security, resilience and equity,” the prime minister tweeted.