NEW DELHI: India will formally launch its campaign for a seat at the United Nations Security Council for the 2028-29 term, positioning itself as a voice for the developing world seeking a greater role in global decision-making, next week.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will unveil India’s official candidature at a special event at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday and hold talks with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The campaign, themed “#India4UNSC 2028-29: Peace, Planet, Progress,” reflects New Delhi’s pitch for stronger representation in addressing challenges ranging from conflicts to climate change and development.
Jaishankar, who concluded a four-nation Gulf tour covering Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman from July 5-10, is scheduled to arrive in the US on Saturday. His UN visit will be followed by engagements in Brussels on July 14-15 for the third India-EU Trade and Technology Council meeting with EU and Belgian counterparts.
The UNSC campaign comes at a time when the world is navigating multiple crises , from the Russia-Ukraine war and the Gaza conflict to escalating tensions involving the US, Israel and Iran. India is seeking to underline its credentials as a responsible global actor and a representative of emerging economies amid these shifting geopolitical equations. India last served as a non-permanent member of the UNSC during 2021-22. The election for the 2028-29 term will be held in June next year, with India competing against Tajikistan for the single seat allotted to the Asia-Pacific grouping.
Beyond securing another term at the Council, New Delhi is expected to use the campaign to renew its push for broader UNSC reform. India has long argued that the 15-member body, established in 1945, does not reflect present-day geopolitical realities and requires expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories.
Delhi has maintained that increasing only the number of elected members would not address the imbalance in the Council, as real decision-making power would continue to remain concentrated among the five permanent members. India has also argued that a reform process stalled by procedural delays cannot become a mechanism to preserve the status quo.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently said that the global order is changing rapidly and developing countries must have greater participation in shaping international affairs. With the UN facing growing questions over its effectiveness in managing modern conflicts, India’s UNSC campaign will serve not only as an electoral effort but also as a renewed statement of its ambitions on the world stage.