It’s been 69 years since India became an
Independent nation. The leaders that formed the government then thought that
the time was right for India to govern itself. The government today believes
that India is ready to be part of a committee that aims to keep the world
secure, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). To this end, they have been
looking for support from every quarter with the constant spate of foreign visits Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already made to several nations
since his government came to power in 2014.
They feel the time is right for India to
take its rightful place, seeing as it considers itself a leader in Asia. It is
looked upon by various South Asian nations as a big brother, an insurance
policy of some kind, against the threat that an aggressive China poses in the
region.
For
& Against India’s seat
But India has apparently failed in
impressing contemporary world leaders who have opposed India’s most recent bid
to restructure the UNSC like its reluctant friend US President Barrack Obama
and its long-time ally Russian President Vladimir Putin. The third
nation, China, in spite making tall claims of friendship during President Xi
Jinping’s diplomatic visit, is still a regional rival along with another
claimant to a permanent seat, Japan. However, the other two permanent members,
France, under President Francois Hollande and the United Kingdom, under
Prime Minister David Cameron, support India’s bid.
Other
Contenders
Along with India, the other G-4 nations,
comprising of Germany, Japan, and Brazil have all longed for a permanent seat
in the UNSC. Germany, because of its GDP, which is the fourth largest in the
world, Japan, because of its regional (albeit muted) power status in Asia, and
Brazil, by virtue of being the only regional power in South America.
Shortcomings
Although India is slated to be the most
populous country in the world by 2022, although its economy is great as an
emerging market, although it has a stable democratic structure and although it
is a responsible nuclear state, India hasn’t exactly been doing what one would
expect members of a ‘security council’ to do.
- India hasn’t sent help to the coalition fighting terrorist groups outside its borders
- India is not involved in helping bring back a democratic government in Yemen
- India didn’t until very recently stand up for or attempt to mediate the conflict brewing in the South China Sea.
- India hasn’t spoken up on human rights issues in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
- India stood passively by in the Iran nuclear deal.
- India hasn’t done anything for the Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.
When you take a look at all these conflicts
that India has deliberately avoided, stayed out of, skirted or just verbally
condemned, it is hard to imagine that this country is a regional power which
will do anything at all, even if it does get a permanent seat at the UNSC.
Favourable
Statistic
However, there is one thing that certainly
goes in India’s favour and that is the number of personnel it has sent to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force. India has sent 8,112 people and is third in
terms of this contribution, Bangladesh and Pakistan holding the first and
second positions respectively. The permanent members come nowhere close to
matching these numbers.
Unfortunate
Reality
However, merely these numbers cannot hide
the fact that India has in fact chosen neutrality and made the decision to stay
aloof from world conflicts even in this age of co-operation. Although India now
contests that it just needs a two-third majority in the UN General Assembly to
get a seat, the problem is that India might fall short on its claim to be able
to handle that much power without taking on responsibility.
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