India wins 184 out 192 votes to enter UN Security Council

NEW DELHI: India scored a major diplomatic victory to enter the non-permanent category of the UN Security Council when elections were held for the five non-permanent members on Wednesday. India won 184 votes out of 192 valid votes cast.

Previously, India has been elected as a non-permanent member of the Council for the years 1950—1951, 1967—1968, 1972—1973, 1977—1978, 1984—1985, 1991—1992 and 2011—2012.

Ireland, Mexico and Norway were also elected as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.


India’s term will begin from January 2021. Delhi’s priorities include effective fight against terror and reformed multilateralism as its aims to boost its status as a major power. The 2021-22 term will be critical for India which has been pushing efforts to reform the Security Council and seek a permanent membership of the Council. Support for India has been increasing with number of countries advocating that the current UNSC does not represent the geo-political realities of the 21st Century.

Talking to ET from New York India’s PR to UN T S Tirumurti said, “We are entering the UN Security Council at a crucial juncture when multilateralism needs reform to remain relevant. Prime Minister’s global vision will be an important contribution to shape the post-COVID world.”

India’s approach will be guided by "Five S’s”, as set out by the Prime Minister: Samman (Respect), Samvad (Dialogue), Sahyog (Cooperation), and Shanti (Peace), to create conditions for universal; and Samriddhi (Prosperity). India’s overall objective during this tenure in the UN Security Council will be the achievement of N.O.R.M.S: a New Orientation for a Reformed Multilateral System.

The 193-member General Assembly had decided in a move titled 'Procedure for holding elections by secret ballot without a plenary meeting during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic'.

According to the decision, the elections of non-permanent members to the Security Council and the election of members to the Economic and Social Council will be held simultaneously without a plenary meeting.

The UNSC elections were traditionally held in the General Assembly hall with each of the 193 member states casting its vote in a secret ballot. But large in-person meetings at the UN headquarters are postponed till the end of June due to COVID-19.

Each year the General Assembly elects five non-permanent members (out of 10 in total) for a two-year term.

The 10 non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis - five for African and Asian States; one for Eastern European States; two for the Latin American and Caribbean States; and two for Western European and other States.