Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Begin with a brief introduction on the core principle of Indian foreign policy.
• Discuss how it is an opportunity to restructure India’s traditional approach to the UN.
• Conclude with an optimistic view.

Ans.

Multilateralism has been a core principle of Indian foreign policy. India has remained steadfast to its multilateralist commitment. India has consistently worked to strengthen multilateralism by seeking reform of the UN, the Bretton Woods System, and the WTO. It has joined the Paris accord, assumed a major role and exceeded its targets in mitigating climate change. India’s two-year tenure at the UNSC perhaps an opportune moment to offer huge possibilities for enhancing India’s multilateral standing and reshaping its traditional approach.

Possibilities for India

• For decades, India has sought permanent membership at the UNSC. To reach this goal, India can use its non-permanent status as a stepping stone to prepare a bid for the permanent candidacy.
• As a rule-abiding democracy and a positive contributor to the security of the global commons, India can work constructively with partners to bring innovative and inclusive solutions to foster development.
• In combating terrorism India can pursue concrete and result-oriented action by the Council aimed at effective Response to International Terrorism addressing the abuse of ICT by terrorists, disrupting their nexus with sponsors and transnational organised criminal entities stemming the flow of terror finance.
• India can encourage partnerships to harness the benefits of technological innovation to reduce human suffering, enhance ease of living and build resilient communities.
• In a rapidly shifting global security landscape, the persistence of traditional security challenges, and the emergence of new and complicated challenges, India can offer a coherent, pragmatic, and effective platform for collaboration to ensure sustainable peace.

India’s election to the security council as a non-permanent member offers a plethora of opportunities for securing its ‘national interest’, and advancing its belief and agenda of rule-based world order. India has also suffered due to politicization of internal issues at the security council by hostile nations. With its presence in UNSC, such attempts could be diplomatically tackled in a more effective way.