By: Sajin de Vass Gunawardena
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the United Nations expressed in true Modi style his candid thoughts on where India should be within the United Nations. Along with this Prime Minister Modi meted out the aspirations of the people of India of wanting to see the much needed reforms of the United Nations and its systems. He expressed “People of India are concerned whether this reform process will ever reach its logical conclusion”. This is indeed a very strong message from the Largest Democracy in the World to be recognised as such.
Prime Minister Modi further elaborated on India’s contributions to the World and its Polity in every possible sphere that one can think of. A country that accounts for over 18% of the World’s Population with one of the most robust and leading Economies of the Globe how and why is India still excluded from the decision making process of the United Nations, Prime Minister Modi vented out his anxiety and perhaps frustration on the feelings of the Indian Polity. Prime Minister Modi compared India to a World Within a World.
To date India has not been allocated a Permanent Seat in the United Nations. A Super Power in today’s context having equal might is yet not considered for a Permanent Seat amongst the other Super Powers. However perhaps as a first step India will be eligible for a Non Permanent, Elected Term Seat effective January 2020. Will this be adequate for India’s large capacity and appetite, this would be the prudent question. India today plays a pivotal role in the Indian Sub Continent Region Geopolitically with its neighbours with whom recent relations have been sustained fruitfully excluding Pakistan of course. The modern India under Prime Minister Modi which subscribes to a common “Indo Pacific Strategy” and her efforts in convincing and aligning its neighbours to follow suite would have an added advantage in obtaining a Permanent Seat in the United Nations Security Council. Whether India’s neighbours (SAARC) would whole heartedly subscribe to this view is yet to be seen.
The message of Prime Minister Modi to the United Nations is timely and requires much attention and dialogue as it is imperative that this part of the World be recognised in the decision making process of the United Nations thereby displaying the inclusive nature of the United Nations fulfilling the fundamental purpose of its very existence.
