EAM Jaishankar launches India’s 2028-29 UNSC campaign
India will strive for a secure, peaceful and just world where the voice of the Global South is heard equally, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday (July 13, 2026).
Mr Jaishankar made the remarks as he launched India’s official campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2028-2029.
He detailed India’s approach to the UN, stressing that it is rooted in “Shanti: Ensuring holistic progress through norms, trust, integrity” as he launched India’s campaign for a two-year term at an event at UN headquarters attended by ambassadors, diplomats and UN officials.
“India will focus on working for a secure, peaceful and just world – a world where the voice of the Global South is heard equally. A world where peacekeeping is prepared for present and future challenges. A world where multilateralism reflects present realities and provides effective solutions and does not remain a bystander,” he said.
“A world where the promise of technology is fully realized while being secured against its misuse and misapplication. A world whose oceans are safe and protected so that marine lifelines are not at risk,” added Jaishankar.
“A world where the fungus of terrorism is fought off by suffocating the resources that feed it, and a world where climate action and climate justice, clean energy transitions and sustainable growth are valued,” he said on Monday (13 July 2026).
Mr Jaishankar will also meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres later in the day. He made an official visit to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman from July 5 to 10 and arrived in New York at the weekend.
From New York, he will travel to Brussels on July 14-15, where he will attend the 3rd meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council and interact with his EU and Belgian counterparts.
Elections for the 2028-29 term will be held in June next year, with India and Tajikistan competing for a single seat in the Asia-Pacific group.
The UN Security Council election will take place amid major geopolitical changes as the world continues to grapple with challenges such as the war in Ukraine, the conflict in Gaza and the US-Israeli war against Iran.
India last sat at the UN’s Horseshoe Table in the 2021-22 term, eighth in the UN Security Council after serving in 1950-1951, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 1977-1978, 1984-191291, 1984-191291,211
Addressing Indonesia’s parliament this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the global order was changing rapidly and, in that context, “developing countries like ours are seeking equal participation and a greater role in global affairs.” “In this evolving global environment, India firmly believes that reforms in the UN Security Council can no longer be delayed.” India has spearheaded a year-long effort to reform the Security Council, including expansion in both its permanent and non-permanent categories, saying the 15-nation council, established in 1945, was not fit for purpose in the 21st century and did not reflect current geopolitical realities.
Delhi has consistently emphasized that it rightfully deserves a permanent place at the horseshoe table.
India has called for the expansion of both permanent and non-permanent categories of UN Security Council membership, warning that reform of the UN Security Council will border on “failure” if only its non-permanent category is expanded, as it will not “fundamentally” change the decision-making power structure of the five permanent members.
With the decade-long UN Security Council reform process moving at a snail’s pace, India argued that the “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” approach must not become a tool to block progress.
“The status quoists have tried to use this argument to their advantage and thereby entrench existing inequalities in the Security Council,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni said last month.
Published – 14 Jul 2026 06:43 IST