Jaishankar pledges to champion Global South, push UN reforms and strengthen counter-terrorism efforts
Staff Correspondent
India has officially launched its campaign for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2028-29 term, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar outlining New Delhi’s priorities on UN reform, peacekeeping, maritime security, artificial intelligence and counter-terrorism.
Speaking at the campaign launch, Jaishankar said the United Nations must become more representative, effective and responsive to contemporary global challenges, arguing that the Security Council should better reflect today’s geopolitical realities.
He said India would work for “a secure, peaceful and equitable world” and pledged to ensure that the concerns of the Global South receive greater attention in international peace and security deliberations.
Calling for reforms to the multilateral system, Jaishankar said global governance must evolve to become more democratic, representative and capable of delivering effective solutions. He said countries with a proven record of consensus-building, such as India, could make a meaningful contribution to the Security Council’s work.
Highlighting India’s peacekeeping record, he said nearly 300,000 Indian personnel have served in around 50 UN missions over the decades, while about 4,300 peacekeepers are currently deployed across 10 of the UN’s 11 active operations. He said future peacekeeping missions should be technologically equipped, backed by realistic mandates and place greater emphasis on the participation of women.
On emerging technologies, Jaishankar advocated a human-centric approach to artificial intelligence (AI), saying its benefits should be harnessed while preventing its misuse in ways that could undermine international peace and security.
He also stressed the importance of safeguarding maritime security through adherence to international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and called for greater international cooperation to combat piracy, protect sea lanes and strengthen humanitarian and disaster response efforts.
Addressing terrorism, Jaishankar said the international community should focus on disrupting the financial networks that sustain terrorist organisations, alongside pursuing objective and evidence-based processes for designating terrorist groups.
The minister also highlighted India’s recent contributions to disaster relief, humanitarian assistance, healthcare, food security and development cooperation, noting that India is currently implementing development projects in 79 countries. He said New Delhi would continue to promote dialogue and diplomacy in addressing international crises.
Concluding his address, Jaishankar sought the support of UN member states for India’s candidature for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the 2028-29 term.
