India Launchs SHANTI Campaign for 2028–2029 UNSC Seat While Reinforcing Long-Term Push for Permanent Membership

Recent Developments:

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar officially launched SHANTI (Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity) as India's campaign for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2028–2029 term.
• The campaign reflects India's vision of reformed multilateralism, a stronger Voice of the Global South, future-ready peacekeeping, maritime security, responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance and counter-terrorism, while simultaneously reiterating India's long-standing demand for permanent membership of the UNSC.

SHANTI Campaign:

About SHANTI:

• SHANTI stands for Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity.
• The campaign serves as India's diplomatic framework for securing election to the UNSC for the 2028–2029 term.
• The initiative projects India as a responsible stakeholder committed to a rules-based international order, inclusive multilateralism and peaceful conflict resolution.
• India will contest the sole Asia-Pacific Group seat against Tajikistan in the 2027 elections for the 2028–2029 term.

Major Priorities under SHANTI:

• Promoting reformed multilateralism and comprehensive UN reforms.
• Strengthening the Voice of the Global South in global governance.
• Enhancing UN Peacekeeping through technology-driven and future-ready approaches.
• Advancing maritime security and protection of global commons.
• Promoting human-centric Artificial Intelligence governance.
• Strengthening international cooperation against terrorism and terror financing.

India's Quest for Permanent UNSC Membership:

Meaning and Objective:

• India's demand for permanent membership seeks to reform the post-1945 global governance architecture to reflect present-day geopolitical, demographic and economic realities.
• Permanent membership would enable India to participate continuously in decisions relating to international peace and security, sanctions, peacekeeping mandates and the authorisation of military action.
• India considers permanent representation essential for making the UNSC more representative, credible and effective.

United Nations Security Council (UNSC):

Composition:

• The UNSC is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations entrusted with maintaining international peace and security.
• The Council presently consists of 15 members, including 5 Permanent Members (P5) and 10 Non-Permanent Members elected for two-year terms.
• The Permanent Members (P5) are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
• Each Permanent Member possesses the Veto Power, enabling it to block any substantive resolution irrespective of majority support.

Major Functions:

• Maintaining international peace and security.
• Authorising peacekeeping operations and military interventions.
• Imposing economic and diplomatic sanctions.
• Recommending the appointment of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
• Recommending admission of new member states to the United Nations.

Evolution of UNSC Reform:

Important Milestones:

• 1945: The United Nations Security Council was established under the United Nations Charter, with permanent seats reserved for the victorious powers of the Second World War.
• 1965: The number of Non-Permanent Members increased from 6 to 10, raising the total Council membership to 15, while the permanent membership remained unchanged.
• 1993: The United Nations General Assembly established the Open-ended Working Group to examine proposals for UNSC reform.
• 2005: India, Brazil, Germany and Japan formed the G4 grouping to jointly advocate expansion of permanent membership.
• 2008: Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) commenced in the United Nations General Assembly to discuss comprehensive UNSC reforms.
• Despite decades of negotiations, no amendment to the composition of the Permanent Members has yet been adopted.

India's Strengths for Permanent Membership:

Demographic, Economic and Strategic Credentials:

• India represents the world's most populous country, accounting for over 18% of the global population.
• India has emerged as the world's fourth-largest economy with sustained long-term growth prospects.
• India possesses significant strategic capabilities as a nuclear weapon state, major maritime power and leading Indo-Pacific stakeholder.
• India maintains one of the world's largest diplomatic networks and actively contributes to multilateral institutions.

Peacekeeping and Diplomatic Contributions:

• India has deployed nearly 300,000 peacekeepers across around 50 UN Peacekeeping Missions since 1948, making it one of the largest cumulative troop contributors.
• India has served eight terms as an elected Non-Permanent Member of the UNSC, most recently during 2021–2022.
• India has consistently promoted dialogue, consensus-building and peaceful dispute settlement in multilateral forums.

Leadership of the Global South:

• India actively articulates the concerns of developing countries in international institutions.
• India's foreign policy philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam supports inclusive, equitable and cooperative global governance.
• India's leadership in platforms such as the G20, BRICS, Quad and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) has strengthened its global diplomatic influence.

Major Challenges to India's Permanent Membership:

Institutional Constraints:

• Amendment of Article 108 of the United Nations Charter requires approval by a two-thirds majority in the United Nations General Assembly and subsequent ratification by all Permanent Members, allowing any P5 country to block reform.

Geopolitical Challenges:

• China continues to oppose India's permanent membership, limiting regional consensus within Asia.
• The Uniting for Consensus (Coffee Club) group opposes the creation of additional permanent seats and instead favours expansion only in the non-permanent category.
• Existing Permanent Members remain reluctant to dilute their exclusive privileges or extend Veto Power to new entrants.
• Differences among regional groups regarding suitable representatives from Asia, Africa and Latin America continue to delay consensus.

Way Forward:

Strengthening India's Diplomatic Strategy:

• India should utilise campaigns such as SHANTI to build broad-based support across the United Nations General Assembly.
• India should continue advocating text-based Intergovernmental Negotiations to accelerate institutional reforms.
• Coordination between the G4 and the African Union's Ezulwini Consensus should be strengthened to secure wider political support.
• India may consider a phased model of permanent membership without immediate veto powers as an interim compromise.
• Continued engagement through plurilateral platforms such as the Quad, BRICS, G20 and the International Solar Alliance can further enhance India's diplomatic leverage.

Conclusion:

Need for Comprehensive UNSC Reform:

• India's demographic weight, economic strength, peacekeeping record and responsible global engagement make it a strong candidate for permanent membership of the UNSC.
• A United Nations Security Council that excludes a substantial proportion of the world's population cannot fully reflect contemporary global realities.
• Comprehensive reform of the UNSC remains essential for strengthening the legitimacy, representativeness and effectiveness of the multilateral system.

Value Addition for UPSC:

Important Facts for Prelims and Mains:

• Current UNSC Composition: 5 Permanent Members + 10 Non-Permanent Members = 15 Members.
• Permanent Members (P5): China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States.
• Article Governing Charter Amendment: Article 108 of the United Nations Charter.
• Election of Non-Permanent Members: Conducted by the United Nations General Assembly for two-year terms.
• India's Previous UNSC Terms: 1950–51, 1967–68, 1972–73, 1977–78, 1984–85, 1991–92, 2011–12, 2021–22.
• G4 Members: India, Brazil, Germany and Japan.
• Coffee Club (Uniting for Consensus): Led by Italy and supported by countries including Pakistan, opposing the expansion of permanent membership.
• Ezulwini Consensus (2005): The African Union's common position demanding at least two permanent seats with veto powers and five non-permanent seats for Africa in a reformed UNSC.
• India's Constitutional Principle in Global Governance: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and commitment to reformed multilateralism remain central pillars of India's foreign policy