India was elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the 2021-22 term.
India’s tenure began on 1 January 2021 and lasted until 31 December 2022. This marked India’s eighth term on the UNSC as a non-permanent member.
India was the only candidate from the Asia-Pacific region for the single available seat, giving India an unopposed path to election.
The election took place on 17 June 2020 in the 193-member UN General Assembly. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this election was conducted virtually, a first in UNSC election history.
India had previously been elected to the UNSC as a non-permanent member in the following terms:
- 1950-51
- 1957-58
- 1972-73
- 1977-78
- 1984-85
- 1991-92
- 2011-12
Each term lasts for two years, and the election is held by the UN General Assembly. The 2021-22 term was significant due to India’s ongoing advocacy for reforming the UNSC to include permanent members from Asia and developing nations.
India has been a vocal proponent of permanent membership, emphasizing the need for a more representative UNSC and global security.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to the virtual elections and non-physical meetings for the UNSC election in 2020, marking a historic change in how elections were conducted amid the global health crisis.
India was elected for the 2021-22 term as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, marking its eighth election to the council.
India was the only candidate for the Asia-Pacific seat, and the election occurred virtually due to COVID-19.
India’s election is part of its ongoing advocacy for permanent membership on the UNSC.
