As India assumes its one-month presidency term for August in the powerful United Nations Security Council, there are ample reasons to be hopeful in certain regards. India's term as a non-permanent member started this year in January along with Norway, Kenya, Ireland and Mexico. Other five of the 10 non-permanent members include — Estonia, Niger St Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Vietnam. The one-month rotational presidency based on alphabetical order allows India the Presidency chair two times — the one is current and the second will come next year. India's ongoing UNSC term is its eight stint with the last one coming a decade ago in 2011-12. India's three core focuses during its one-month presidency comprises maritime security, counter-terrorism, and peacekeeping forces. Counter-terrorism and maritime security are the issues that not only India has been flagging consistently but also the world at large is concerned with. Maritime security, in particular, is covertly linked with the growing hegemony of China in the South-China Sea. The obvious question is whether India will be able to facilitate any resolution that directly or indirectly goes against the Chinese interest. It is less likely. China being one of the permanent members of the UNSC is very likely to veto any such move. But this does not downplay the significance of India's presidency. India does have the option to put its cause forward through a presidential statement — we have instances from the past when we made a dent through such actions. Further, India can leverage its position to facilitate greater consensus on the issue given that other powerful nations like the US, the UK and France are also acting proactively to counter Chinese expansionism. On the matter of counter-terrorism, India offers hope to many small countries that are bracing terrorism in its worst form — be it state-sponsored or otherwise. India itself claims to have been facing state-sponsored terrorism and has been pushing the agenda at almost every multilateral or bilateral fora. The scenario for the country has worsened given the present context of Afghanistan where the Taliban is set to usurp power. There is already a very wide consensus on the issue of terrorism globally. India aims to "prevent the efforts made to dilute the focus on terrorism". So basically, the aim is to consolidate the sentiments against terrorism and make some quick gains on the slow-moving process. Here again, the ambit is limited by the veto power of P-5 countries that has stalled resolutions against terrorism in countries like Yemen and Syria in the past. Finally, on the issue of peacekeeping — to which India's contribution has been exemplary — it has condemned the attacks on peacekeeping forces and emphasised on the agenda of "protecting the protectors". Having said all, it seems uncertain as to what changes India can bring during its presidency term. The UNSC has been almost passive on the said agendas for the past few years with no peacekeeping operations, no sanctions and all. It is uncertain whether India will be able to come out with the best possible outcomes by going through this institutional inertia. The efforts on counter-terrorism and maritime security and other things are more visible from the part of regional or ideological groupings than from the UN. So, for India, the roadblock is not just the procedural obstructions but also the structural obstructions. Reform is long overdue at the UNSC. There is another crucial area that India must be eying on. Could this presidency term help fix the UNSC permanent seat for India? India's chances are stuck at the Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) of the UNGA. India already has a fair degree of global support for this position. India's presidency term under non-permanent membership of UNSC also coincides with the term of UNGA president-elect Shahid Abdullah — the Maldives foreign minister — who has openly said he will support India's bid for permanent membership at the UNSC. India's presidency of UNSC comes at a crucial time when Afghanistan is under complete turmoil and is likely to come under influence of a terror organisation. China is also getting more aggressive with time. India has been steadily working against these threats at a snail's pace. It remains to be seen how skillfully the country handles its diplomacy to tide through the obstructions. It will be great if India is able to extract some long-term benefits at this crucial juncture — for itself and other countries whose eyes will be fixed on India. Global support from big and small countries and India's credibility will help the cause.
Image courtesy: Reuters