India launches UN Security Council 2028-29 campaign with Global South pitch

Unitednations,UPDATED: Jul 14, 2026 00:58 IST

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday launched India’s official campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2028-29 term, saying India will work for a secure, peaceful and equitable world in which the voice of the Global South is heard equally.

Speaking at an event at the UN headquarters attended by ambassadors, diplomats and officials, Jaishankar said India’s approach to the United Nations is rooted in ‘Shanti: Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust, Integrity’. He said India’s focus would be on making multilateralism more effective and better aligned with present-day realities.

“India’s focus will be on working for a secure, peaceful, and equitable world-a world where the voice of the Global South is heard in equal measure. A world where peacekeeping is ready for contemporary and future challenges. A world where multilateralism reflects contemporary realities and provides effective solutions, not remaining a bystander,” he said.

Jaishankar added, “A world where the promise of technology is fully realised while safeguarding against its misuse and misapplication. A world as well whose oceans are safe and secure, so that maritime lifelines are not threatened.” He also said India would work for “a world where the scourge of terrorism is countered by choking the resources that feed it, and a world where climate action and climate justice, clean energy transitions, and sustainable growth hold value”.

Later in the day, Jaishankar is scheduled to meet UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. He arrived in New York over the weekend after an official visit to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman from July 5 to 10. From New York, he will travel to Brussels on July 14 and 15 to attend the third India-EU Trade and Technology Council meeting and meet his EU and Belgian counterparts.

Elections for the 2028-29 term will be held in June next year, when India and Tajikistan will compete for the sole seat in the Asia-Pacific Group. The election will take place at a time of major geopolitical change, with the world dealing with the Ukraine war, the Gaza conflict and the US-Israel war against Iran.

India last served on the Security Council in 2021-22. That was its eighth term on the Council, after earlier stints in 1950-1951, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 1977-1978, 1984-1985, 1991-1992 and 2011-2012.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the Parliament of Indonesia this week, said the global order is changing rapidly and that “developing countries like ours are seeking equal participation and a greater role in global affairs.” He added, “In this evolving global landscape, India firmly believes that reforms in the United Nations Security Council can no longer be delayed.”

India has long pushed for reform of the Security Council, including expansion in both its permanent and non-permanent categories, saying the 15-nation body set up in 1945 is not fit for purpose in the 21st century and does not reflect current geopolitical realities. Delhi has also consistently said it deserves a permanent seat. India has warned that reform would verge on “failure” if only the non-permanent category is expanded, because that would not “fundamentally” change the decision-making power structure of the five permanent members.

With the reform process moving slowly over the decades, India has said the approach of “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” must not become a way to block progress. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, said last month, “Status-quoists have tried to use this argument in their favour and thereby, entrench the existing inequities in the Security Council.” Overall, Jaishankar’s launch of the campaign set out India’s bid for the 2028-29 term alongside its broader call for a more representative and effective UN system.

With PTI Inputs

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