INDIA'S CLAIM FOR PERMANENT MEMBERSHIP OF UNSC: REFORMING GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
Syllabus Mapping: GS-2: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), established in 1945 to maintain international peace and security, reflects the post-World War II geopolitical order. However, the emergence of new economic and strategic powers, coupled with the growing influence of the Global South, has intensified calls for comprehensive reforms to make the Council more representative, credible and effective.
Need for Reforms?
- Outdated Post-War Power Structure:- The UN has expanded from 51 founding members in 1945 to 193 member states today, but the permanent membership remains unchanged.
- Representation Deficit:- Africa and Latin America lack permanent representation despite constituting a significant share of UN membership. Eg: African Union comprises 54 UN member states (about 28% of the UN membership) but has no permanent seat.
- Institutional Gridlock:- The unrestricted veto power of the P5 frequently blocks collective action, even during humanitarian crises, undermining timely decision-making. Eg: Russia and China have repeatedly vetoed resolutions on Syria, while the US has vetoed multiple Gaza-related resolutions.
- Rise of Multipolarity:- The emergence of India, Brazil, African economies and other middle powers demands a more representative global governance architecture aligned with present-day power realities.
- Underrepresentation of Global South:- The concerns of developing countries like climate finance, food security and equitable growth receive inadequate attention within the current UNSC structure. Eg: Developing countries account for nearly 85% of the world’s population, yet there opinion is undermined by the hegemony of P5.
India’s bid for Permanent Membership
- Democratic Legitimacy:- India represents the aspirations of over 4 billion people and upholds democratic values, constitutional governance and the rule of law, strengthening the representative character of the UNSC.
- Rising Economic and Strategic Power:- As one of the fastest-growing major economies, India plays a pivotal role in shaping global trade, finance and strategic stability.
- Voice of the Global South:- India consistently advocates equitable global governance. Eg: During its G20 Presidency (2023), India championed the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent G20 member.
- Reform Consensus:- The G4 (India, Japan, Germany and Brazil) jointly advocates UNSC reforms, while India’s permanent membership has been supported by countries including the US, France, Russia and the UK.
- Maritime and Indo-Pacific Security Provider:- India plays a crucial role in securing critical Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs), counter-piracy operations and humanitarian assistance in the Indian Ocean Region. Eg: SAGAR
Challenges in India’s bid to reforms
- Reform Deadlock:- The Uniting for Consensus (Coffee Club) has consistently resisted the G4 proposal, advocating only an increase in non-permanent seats.
- Institutional Inertia:- Any amendment to the UN Charter requires ratification by two-thirds of UN members, including all five permanent members (P5), making reforms extremely difficult.
- Resistance from China:- China remains the only P5 member that has not explicitly supported India’s UNSC bid due to geopolitical rivarly.
- Competing Claims:- Countries such as Brazil, Germany, Japan and African nations also seek permanent membership, making agreement on seat allocation contentious.
- Consensus Deficit:- UN member states remain divided over key issues such as the number of permanent seats, veto powers and regional representation, delaying negotiations.
The UNSC can remain relevant only by embracing reformed multilateralism that reflects contemporary geopolitical realities rather than the post-war order. Advancing text-based negotiations, building broader consensus among member states and ensuring equitable representation of the Global South would enhance the Council’s legitimacy and effectiveness. In this context, India’s inclusion would strengthen a more representative, credible and responsive global governance architecture..
Prelims Booster
1 . Index of Services Production (ISP)
- Index of Services Production (ISP) is India’s first official high-frequency index to measure the performance of the services sector.
- Released by: MoSPI monthly with Base Year: 2024–25 = 100.
- Time Lag: Released with a 60-day lag.
- First ISP (for April 2026) to be released on 14 July 2026; thereafter on the 29th of every month (or next working day).
- ISP is the services-sector counterpart of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
- Measures short-term changes in services sector output, just as IIP measures industrial output.
- It will track key service segments such as trade, transport, banking, insurance, hospitality, real estate, and professional services.
- It proposes to exclude services provided by the informal sector due to the paucity of data from the data sources under consideration.
- It also proposes a temporary exclusion of the health and education sector, which accounts for 10% of the services GVA, till results of the annual survey of incorporated service sector enterprises (ASISSE) become available.
Kirthai-II Hydroelectric Project
- The Kirthai-II HEP is a 930 MW run-of-river hydroelectric project planned on the Chenab River in Kishtwar district, Jammu & Kashmir.
- The project was first conceived in 1984 and remained stalled for decades due to Pakistan’s objections under the Indus Water treaty (IWT) at the Permanent Indus Commission.
- The Chenab is one of the three Western Rivers under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) 1960 — the others being Indus and Jhelum.
- Origin: Formed by the confluence of Chandra and Bhaga rivers in Himachal Pradesh; flows through Jammu & Kashmir before entering Pakistan.
- Treaty Status: Pakistan receives unrestricted use of Chenab waters; India can use them only for domestic use, non-consumptive use, limited agricultural use, and hydro-electric power generation.
- India’s existing projects on Chenab: Salal (690 MW), Dulhasti (390 MW), Baglihar (900 MW), and under-construction Pakal Dul (1000 MW).
El-Nino
- El Niño = Periodic abnormal warming of Central & Eastern Equatorial Pacific Ocean.
- Occurs due to weakening/reversal of Easterly Trade Winds.
- Part of the ENSO (El Niño–Southern Oscillation) phenomenon.
- Usually recurs every 2–7 years and lasts 9–12 months (can be longer).
- Opposite phase: La Niña (cooling of Central & Eastern Pacific).
- Neutral phase: ENSO Neutral.
- Impact on India
- Weak/deficient Southwest Monsoon (not always).
- Higher temperatures and heat waves.
- Increased drought risk.
- Lower Kharif crop production.
- Water scarcity and reservoir depletion.
- Marine Impacts
- Rise in Sea Surface Temperature (SST).
- Coral bleaching (loss of zooxanthellae).
- Increased Marine Heat Waves (MHWs).
- Fish migration → Reduced catch (e.g., Sardine, Mackerel).
One Response
Daily current affairs compilations like this are especially useful when they connect topics to both Prelims facts and Mains perspectives, since many aspirants struggle to bridge that gap. It would also be helpful to include a short section highlighting possible interlinkages between subjects like polity, economy, and international relations, as UPSC questions increasingly test interdisciplinary understanding.