United Nations and Indian Ocean Region: A Case for India's Permenent Seat in the Security Council

8/2/2019 United Nations and Indian Ocean Region: A Case for India's Permenent Seat in the Security Council

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Research Journal Social Sciences, Vol 19, No. 2, 2011

United Nations and Indian Ocean Region: a case for

Indias permanent seat in the Security CouncilKhalid, Mohammed

Abstract

Founded on October 24, 1945, United Nations aims to maintaininternational peace and security develop friendly relations among

nations and promote social progress, better living standards and

human rights in the world. Of its five organs, Security Council is

the most important which has five permanent members --USA, UK,France, Russia and Chinawho have veto power. The system of

representation in the Security Council is flawed as it does notrepresent contemporary international realities. There is need andstrong demand to reform and restructure the UN Security Council.

Some newly emerging powers such as Brazil, Germany, Japan,

and India have grouped together with the aim to secure permanentmembership of the Security Council. Indian Ocean is a vast

geographical region but does not have permanent membership in

the Security Council. This paper build a strong case legitimate

case for permanent membership of as it is not only second largestpopulation in the world; but has largest economy and navy in the

region and played a crucial role in resolution of a number of

conflicts worldwide and has worldwide support including that offour permanent members of the Security Council.

The United Nations was founded after the Second World War to maintain

international peace and security develop friendly relations among nations and

promote social progress, better living standards and human rights. According to

its Charter, United Nations can take action on a wide range of issues, and provide

a forum to the member states to express their views, through the General

Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and its otherorgans. United Nations works in every corner of the world not only for

peacekeeping, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance, but also for

fundamental issues such as sustainable development, environment and refugees

protection,

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disaster relief, counter terrorism, disarmament and non-proliferation, to promote

democracy, human rights, gender equality, economic and social development

international health, and food security etc.(Fasulo 2003, Schlesinger 2003 and

Weiss and Daws 2007)

United Nations came into existence on October 24, 1945, after its Charter

was ratified by the five permanent members of the Security Council (the Republic

of China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States)

and a majority of the other signatories. Of its 51 original members (founding

members), 50 signed the Charter at the United Nations Conference on

International Organization in San Francisco on 26 June 1945, while Poland,

which was not represented at the conference, signed it on 15 October 1945. Asmore countries became sovereign and independent they joined the United Nations

and its number has reached to 192 at present.(Glassner 1998); (Rasche and Kell,

2010). Any peace-loving state could become a member of the United Nations

provided it accepted the obligations contained in the Charter and in the judgment

of the Organization, is able and willing to carry out these obligations.

United Nations functions through five (formerly six, including Trusteeship

Council) principal organs; the General Assembly, the Security Council, the

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Secretariat, and the International

Court of Justice. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the

principal organs of the United Nations charged with the maintenance of

international peace and security. It carries peacekeeping operations, establish

international sanctions, and can authorize military action. The Security Council

consists of 15 member states, consisting of 5 permanent members --China,

France, and Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States-- and 10 non-

permanent members elected by the General assembly for two years term --five

retiring each year. The non-permanent members are chosen by regional groups

and confirmed by the General Assembly. With the process of decolonization more

states became independent and thus members of the United Nations. They

subsequently demanded for reforms inrepresentation to the Security Council. At its eighteenth

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session, in 1963, the Assembly decided (resolution 1991 A (XVIII)) that the non-

permanent members of the Council should be elected such as; five from African

and Asian States; one from Eastern European states; two from Latin American

states; two from Western European and other states. Of these members, one is an

"Arab country," alternately from the Asian or African bloc. As a result, the

number of non-permanent members was increased from six to 10 on January 1,

1966.

In the UN system, Security Council is so organized as to be able to

function continuously, and a representative of each of its members is present at all

times at United Nations Headquarters. When a complaint concerning a threat to

peace is brought before it, the Council undertakes investigation and mediation andpasses necessary resolutions to restore peace. Each of its members is entitled to

one vote. On all procedural matters, decisions by the council are made by an

affirmative vote of any nine of its members. Substantive matters, such as the

investigation of a dispute or the application of sanctions, also require nine

affirmative votes, including those of the five permanent members holding veto

power. To establish peace, the Security Council first explores the possibility of a

peaceful resolution, and then sends peacekeeping forces to keep warring parties

apart pending further negotiations. If the council finds that there is a real threat to

peace, a breach of peace, or an act of aggression, it may call upon UN members to

apply diplomatic or economic sanctions. If these methods prove inadequate, the

UN Charter allows the Security Council to take military action against the

offending country. (Schweigman, 2000).

United Nations Charter was shaped by the winner states of the Second

World War in their national interests, giving themselves the veto-power. It

reflects the global power structure of 1945, when most of today's nations were

still under colonial rule. The five principal World War II allies clung to theirprivileged

status. They probably would not have accepted the creation of theUnited Nations without the veto

privilege. The arrangement with power to veto has made the Council both undemocratic and many

a times ineffective. The veto-wielding permanentmembers preventmany

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issues from reaching the Council's agenda and they often selfishly bar widely-

agreed and much-needed initiatives. This power has been intensely controversial

since the drafting of the UN Charter in 1945. The permanent members can

exercise veto power over substantive but not procedural resolutions allowing them

to block adoption but not to block the debate of a resolution unacceptable to them.

The presidency of the Security Council is rotated alphabetically each month

amongst the members of the Security Council. (Alger, 2006 and Sarooshi, 1999)

The five permanent members do not allow the passing of any resolution in the

Security Council which is detrimental to their interests. With their influence they

have thwarted the election of members to the Security Council who are non-

agreeable even if they have grown in their stature over the years. Some of the

countries who have emerged as important economic powers in the recent times

are also denied their legitimate claim to be permanent members of the Council.

Permanent membership of the Security Council has remained stagnant at 5 thus

denying judicious representation to some important states. (Weiss, 2003; Kochler,

1991; Malone & Mahbubani, 2004). Sixty-five years later, the debate on the

existence and use of the veto continues, reinvigorated by many cases of veto-

threat as well as actual veto use. It is the importance of Security Council in world

affairs that makes its membership coveted and sought after. A sea change in

global power structure has occurred with the emergence of new powerful players

on the world scene but order of representation in this powerful body remains

seriously flawed which calls for inclusion of more permanent members in the

Security Council. (Deccan Herald, 2004), and Gardiner and Brett Schaefer, 2005),

Gross imbalance in representation of some very important geographical regions in

the world in the Security Council also calls for an immediate restructuring of the

Security Council. Here we take up the case of under representation of the

countries of the Indian Ocean littoral and Indias rightful claim to a permanent

seat in the Security Council.

At the time of formation ofSecurity Council, Australia, Egypt, India, Iran,Iraq, Saudi

Arabia, and South Africa becamethe original signatories to the UN Charterand becamemembers

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of United Nations from the Indian Ocean littoral. After many countries gained

independence and became members of the United Nations, now 28 littoral and 6

island states Indian Ocean are members of the United Nations. Table below shows

the date of entry of these countries in the United Nations.

Table-1 Indian Ocean Countries: Date of Joining UNO

Country Date of Admission to UN Name Date of Admission

to UN

Egypt 24 October 1945 Somalia 20 September 1960Iran 24 October 1945 Tanzania 14 December 1961

Saudi Arabia 24 October 1945 Kuwait 14 May 1963India 30 October 1945 Kenya 16 December 1963Australia 1 November 1945 Maldives 21 September 1965South Africa 7-11-1945 Singapore 21 September 1965Ethiopia 13 November 1945 Mauritius 24 April 1968Iraq 21 December 1945 Bahrain 21 September 1971Thailand 16 December 1946 Qatar 21 September 1971Yemen 30 September 1947 Oman 7 October 1971Pakistan 30 September 1947 U A E 9 December 1971Myanmar 19 April 1948 Bangladesh 17 September 1974Israel 11 May 1949 Mozambique 16 September 1975

Indonesia 28 September 1950 Comoros 12 November 1975Jordan 14 December 1955 Seychelles 21 September 1976Sri Lanka 14 December 1955 Djibouti 20 September 1977Sudan 12 November 1956 Eritrea 28 May 1993Malaysia 17 September 1957---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source: Information collated from, http://www.un.org/en/members/

Non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council is of immense

importance as it provides a country the opportunity for two years to be among

those countries that decide on all the most important issues in global policy.

Presence and participation in the activities of the UN Security Council is

particularly important for maintaining balance within the Security Council. It is

matter of pride and privilege to be member of the Security Council. Terms served

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by the countries of Indian Ocean on the UN Security Council is shown in table

below.

Table-2 Countries of Indian Ocean Region who became non-permanent

members of the Security Council since 1946

Country Years of their membership Terms

Australia 1946 1947; 1956 1957; 1973 1974; 1985 1986 4Bahrain 1998 1999 1Bangladesh 1979 1980; 2000 2001 2Sri Lanka 1960 19611Comoros -------

Djibouti 1993 1994 1Egypt 1946; 1949 1950; 1984 1985; 1996 1997 4Eritrea -------- --Ethiopia 1967 1968; 1989 1990 2Kenya 1973 1974, 1997 1998 2India 1950 1951; 1967 1968; 1972 1973; 1977 1978;

1984 1985; 1991 1992; 2011 2012 7Indonesia 1973 1974; 1995 1996; 2007 2008 3Iran 1955 1956 1Iraq 1957 1958, 1974 1975 2Jordan 1965 1966, 1982 1983 2

Kuwait 1978 1979 1Madagascar 1985 1986 1Malaysia 1965, 1989 1990, 1999 2000 3Maldives ------ --Mauritius 1977 1978, 2001 2002 2Mozambique ------ --Myanmar ------ --Oman 1994 1995 1Pakistan 1952 1953, 1968 1969, 1976 1977, 1983 1984,

1993 1994, 2003 20046

Qatar 2006 2007 1Saudi Arabia ------ --Seychelles ------ --Singapore 2001 2002 1Somalia 1971 1972 1South Africa 2007 2008, 2011 2012 2Sudan 1972 19731

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Tanzania 1975 1976, 2005 2006 2Thailand 1985 1986 1UAE 1986 1987 1Yemen 1990 1991 1Source: The Green Papers Worldwide, United Nations Security Council, New York

Among the countries of the region, seven countries were never elected

to the Security Council. India, Pakistan and Australia and Egypt have been the

most represented countries on the Security Council. South Africa could become a

member of the Council only after the end of apartheid there. Saudi Arabia the

most important and largest Muslim country in the region has never been elected to

the Security Council. Iran an important country of the Persian Gulf could get

membership only once in 1955-56 while much smaller countries of the region

were elected more than once. Not only there is imbalance in representation to the

countries of the region, the equation with the dominant powers --especially

Britain and US-- seems to have played an important role in procuring membership

to the Council. Non-agreeable mavericks like Iran were deliberately kept out of

the Security Council.

The countries of the Indian Ocean region that have been represented on

the Security Council are shown in Table 3.

During its 65 years existence, Indian Ocean region was not represented

for 11 times (years) in the Security Council and it was at that time when in 1948

the region witnessed Arab Israel war; in 1954 when CIA-engineered military coup

occurs in Guatemala and SEATO was signed in September that year; in 1959

when Dalai Lama fled China and was granted political asylum in India; in 1962

when China invaded India to settle its border dispute, and Dutch and Indonesian

navies encountered in Etna Bay New Guinea; in 1963 when U.S. and U.S.S.R.

signed a treaty banning any atmospheric nuclear tests and Nuclear Test Ban

Treaty was ratified by the US Senate; in 1964 when U.S. military forces launch

attacks on North Vietnam in response to an alleged attack on a U.S. destroyer off

the Vietnamese coast and Turkey attacked Cyprus; 1981 when 52 American

hostages were captivated in Iran after the Islamic revolution; and in 1988 when

Soviets were forced to leave Afghanistan and Iran-Iraqi war had already begun.

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The region was also unrepresented in the Security Council in 2009 and 2010. Non

representation as well as less representation to a very important region having

largest number of states and during many crucial times is a serious lacuna in the

UN system which calls for the restructuring of the Security Council and undertake

reforms in this most powerful world body.

Table-3 Year wise presence of the countries of Indian Ocean in

UN Security Council

Term Members from Indian Ocean Region

1946 Australia, Egypt 1981 ------1947 Australia 1982 Jordan1948 ------ 1983 Jordan, Pakistan

1949 Egypt 1984 Egypt, India, Pakistan1950 Egypt, India 1985 Australia, Egypt, India1951 India Madagascar, Thailand1952 Pakistan 1986 Australia, Madagascar1953 Pakistan Thailand, UAE1954 ----- 1987 UAE1955 Iran 1988 ------1956 Australia, Iran 1989 Ethiopia, Malaysia1957 Australia, Iraq 1990 Ethiopia, Malaysia, Yemen1958 Iraq 1991 India, Yemen1959 ----- 1992 India

1960 Sri Lanka 1993 Djibouti, Pakistan1961 Sri Lanka 1994 Djibouti, Oman, Pakistan1962 ------ 1995 Indonesia, Oman1963 ------ 1996 Egypt, Indonesia1964 ------ 1997 Egypt, Kenya1965 Jordan, Malaysia 1998 Bahrain, Kenya1966 Jordan 1999 Bahrain, Malaysia1967 Ethiopia, India 2000 Bangladesh, Malaysia1968 Ethiopia, India, Pakistan 2001 Bangladesh, Mauritius1969 Pakistan Singapore1970 ------- 2002 Mauritius, Singapore1971 Somalia 2003 Pakistan1972 India, Somalia, Sudan 2004 Pakistan,1973 Australia, Kenya, India, Indonesia, 2005 Tanzania

Sudan 2006 Qatar, Tanzania1974 Australia, Kenya, Indonesia, Iraq 2007 South Africa, Qatar1975 Iraq, Tanzania Indonesia1976 Pakistan, Tanzania 2008 South Africa, Indonesia1977 India, Mauritius, Pakistan 2009 -------

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1978 India, Kuwait, Mauritius 2010 -------1979 Bangladesh, Kuwait 2011 India, South Africa1980 Bangladesh

Source: UN Security Council website at, http://www.un.org/sc/members.asp

Demand for Security Council reforms

Even though the geopolitical realities have changed drastically since 1945,

when the set-up of the current Council was decided, the Security Council has

changed very little during this long period. It was in 1992 when Boutros Boutros-

Ghali was elected as Secretary-General of the United Nations that discussions for

reforms of the UN Security Council were launched. In January 1992 first-ever

summit of the Security Council was held and the Secretary General submitted hisproposals which were thereafter published as "An Agenda for Peace" (UNO

1992) His motivation was to restructure the composition and anachronistic

procedures of the UN Security Council recognizing the changed world. By 1992,

Germany and Japan had become the second and third largest contributor to the

United Nations and started to demand a permanent seat on the Security Council.

Brazil (fifth largest country in terms of territory) and India (second largest country

in terms of population) also emerged as the most powerful countries and key

players in their respective regions and began to demand for a permanent seat. This

group of four countries formed an interest group later known as the G4 (Global

Policy Forum, 2005; The Hindu, 2011). The Security Council today is a body

which has France as a permanent member, but not Germany; Britain but not

Japan; China but not India and no representation from Africa and Latin America

at all. Can it be called a legitimately representative body in modern times?

Since 1992 the issue of giving permanent membership of the Council to G4

has been debated in many forums worldwide. Britain, France and Russia support

that G4 should be included as permanent members of the Security Council. Italy,

together with other countries, has opposed this kind of reform, proposing for

introduction of semi-permanent membership. There are regional and local

opposition coming from neighbouring countries of G4 countries also. For

example, South Korea opposes Japan, Pakistan opposes India, and Mexico and

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Argentina oppose Brazil. The countries opposed to the proposal have grouped

themselves in the so-called Coffee Club. It is also contended that if G4 members

are given permanent membership it may leave over 1.2 billion

Muslims worldwide (in the Middle East, north and West Africa to Southeast Asia)

without any permanent representation on the UN Security Council. In June 2005,

the foreign ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) called

for a permanent Muslim seat on the UN Security Council. Many countries from

outside the Muslim World argue that a veto-wielding Islamic member could use it

to restrict the UN's ability to act forcefully in the Middle East or on the

boundaries of the Islamic world, rendering the UN ineffective in those regions.

The impression of the lack of democracy in Middle Eastern states that are

predominantly Muslim is another reason cited by some Western commentators

who argue against the idea of including a Muslim state as veto-wielding

permanent member of the Council. They further argue that the inclusion of an

Islamic country is the religious aspect which may lead to demand by the other

religious nations to provide them with permanent membership in the name of

religion such as the Buddhists, the Hindus, and the Jews etc.

African countries claim that their continent is the second-largest and second

most populous behind Asia and it has more United Nations members than any

other continent. Currently, no country from Africa has a permanent seat on the

Security Council and they push to have an African nation as permanent member.

They also argue that from Asia, China and Russia --which is an Asian power too--

already, have seats in the Security Council and Japan and India are petitioning for

one each. This will give over-representation to Asia leaving Africa without any

permanent representation in the Security Council. United Kingdom, France, and

China have supported for more political representation from Africa, though no

one nation from Africa has formally been put forward as a candidate for

permanent membership of the Security Council. Among the African countries,

Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Nigeria are seen as the strong choices.

Because of historical reasons, China does not want Japan to become a permanent

member of the Security Council. It also has strong reservation against Indias

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inclusion as permanent member of the Security Council. If at all India has to be

included, it should be without veto power, China contends. (Deccan Herald, 2011;

Peoples Daily, 2011; and Mohan, 2005). In this scenario, representation to a

littoral state of the Indian Ocean to the Security Council must be considered in its

rational and geopolitical perspective.

Case for Indian Ocean permanent representation in the Security Council

Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world oceans covering approximately

20% of the water on the Earth's surface. Its area including the Red Sea and the

Persian Gulf is estimated at 73,556,000 sq. km. (Kaushik, 1983). The region has

34 states consisting 9 states on African littoral, 10 in Arabian Peninsula and

Persian Gulf, 3 in South Asia, 5 in Southeast Asia, 6 island states, and Australia.

It has 19 states on its rim land dependent on its waters for trade and commerce.

Island republics within the Indian Ocean include Comoros, Madagascar,

Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka.

The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East,

Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. Its waters carry one of the

busiest trade routes in the world. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of

petroleum and petroleum products from the oil fields of the Persian Gulf, Arabian

Peninsula and Indonesia. Containing two-third of worlds oil resources, 35% of

worlds Gas reserves, 60% of uranium, 40% of gold, 80% of diamond deposits, an

estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian

Ocean region. (Loughlin and Leighton 2010) Its beach sands and offshore

deposits are rich in heavy minerals which are actively exploited by bordering

countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

The region contains 1/3 of the worlds population, 25% of its landmass; the region

is home to most of the world's two great religions, Islam and Hinduism. Most of

the ancient civilizations Babylonian, Egyptian, and Indus-- developed on the

shores of the Indian Ocean. On its shores, India and Pakistan are the worlds two

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newest nuclear weapons states and Iran which has a robust programme to acquire

nuclear weapons.

Indian Ocean region contains huge diversity of economies. India is largest

with GDP of US$143 billion according to 2010 estimates, followed by Australia

with 122 billion making them 11th and 13th largest in the world. Of the 50 largest

economies in the world, 12 are in Indian Ocean region. Among them Indonesia

ranks at 18, Saudi Arabia at 23, South Africa at 27, Iran at 29, Thailand at 30,

UAE at 35, Malaysia at 38, Egypt at 40, Israel at 43 and Pakistan at 47. It has

countries with highest per capita income, like Qatar on number 1, Singapore on 4,

Australia on 10, Kuwait on 14, and UAE on 18th position.(IMF, 2010). In

addition, the region has one of the key centers of gravity of international

terrorism, a key venue for international piracy in western Indian Ocean, and the

locus of some 70% of the worlds natural disasters.

Politically turbulent, the region has been a potentially explosive theater of

superpower rivalry during the Cold War. On its shores Afghanistan is boiling

since 1973, when a military coup overturned the two-century-old Afghan

kingdom and established the Republic. Pakistan-Afghanistan border region is a

hub of terrorist groups which have spelled doom by carrying many lethal terrorist

attacks around the world. Ethnic tensions in Sri Lanka have brought one of the

most organised internal violent resistances by LTTE. The Region has seen three

wars between the Arabs and Israel in 1948, 1967 and 1973, two major wars

between India and Pakistan in 1965 and 1971, one war between India and China

in 1962, the Iran-Iraq war from 1980 to 1988, and two UN-US sponsored wars on

Iraq in 1991 and 1998. There are border disputes and local tensions in the region.

Hardly a country in the region is without territorial dispute with its neighbour.

There are territorial disputes between South Africa and Swaziland; Ethiopia and

Eritrea; Kenya and Uganda; Eritrea and Djibouti; Egypt and Sudan; Kenya and

Sudan; Sudan and Uganda; Israel and Syria; Oman and Yemen; Bahrain and

Qatar; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia; Iran

and Iraq; Iran and United Arab Emirates; Pakistan and Afghanistan; China and

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India; Bangladesh and India; India and Pakistan; India and Sri Lanka; Bangladesh

and Burma; Burma and Thailand; Indonesia and Malaysia; Singapore and

Malaysia; East Timor and Indonesia;

Australia and Indonesia. There are disputes on the ownership of islands in the

Indian Ocean between United Kingdom and Mauritius-Seychelles; France and

Madagascar-Seychelles-Comoros; France and Comoros. (CIA, 2009)

Geographically, Indian Ocean is a region like a close lake and the

countries around its littoral have experienced a long and historical common

relationship including a long spell of colonial subjugation at the hand of one or

the other European power. The countries of the region may have different

geography, climate, topography, political and economic systems, they may belong

to different religions, beliefs, faiths and races, there may be ethnic or territorial

disputes among them, Indian Ocean provides them a commonality that no other

region has. Despite its immense geopolitical importance, Indian Ocean region has

been devoid of permanent representation in the Security Council since 1945. This

deficiency needs to be rectified now.

A case for Indias permanent seat in the Security Council

Of the 28 littoral and 6 island republics in the Indian Ocean, South Africa,

Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, Indonesia and Australia stand out as potential

claimants of permanent seat in the UN Security Council. Among them, South

Africa was one of the 51 founding member of the United Nations. The United

Nations General Assembly on 12 November 1974 suspended South Africa from

participating in its work, due to international opposition to its policy of apartheid.

South Africa was re-admitted to the UN in 1994 following its transition into a

democracy. Twelve years after re-admittance, South Africa was endorsed by the

African Union (AU) and subsequently it was elected as a non-permanent member

of the Security Council during 2007-2008. It has again been elected for the term

2011-12. From the African continent Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa are the

main contenders to represent Africa as permanent members of the Security

Council. Egypt is African, Arab and a Muslim country and a long standing ally of

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United States. Egypt stands a better chance vis--vis South Africa who is young

and less experienced member of the UN.

Saudi Arabia is the most important country in the Muslim world in terms

of religion. Saudi Arabia has never been elected to the Security Council so far.

Neither has it expressed any desire to become a permanent member of the

Security Council. Iran is the largest and most powerful country of the Persian

Gulf. It has big power ambitions and has embarked upon its nuclear programme

despite warnings from the United States and Britain. Since inception of Security

Council, Iran was elected only once (in 1955-56) as its non-permanent member.

Due to its uncomfortable relations with the West and the US it is unlikely that

Iran could get a chance to become a permanent member of the Security Council.

Nor Iran has expressed its desire to become so. Indonesia has potential to become

the UN Security Council permanent member and it seeks to play a role in the

UNSC that is commensurate with its standing in the world. A rising economy,

Indonesia claims to be the third largest democracy and home to the worlds

largest Muslim population. If both Indiaand Indonesiarun for a permanentseat

on the Security Council, India stands to get more support worldwide as President

Barak Obama expressed during his visit to Indonesia in 2010. (Adamrah, 2010)

Australia too does not have any ambitions to be a permanent member of the

Security Council. Australia is a core member of the Western alliance system

rather an extension of the West in Indian Ocean region. Australia has expressed

its support for Indias candidature for permanent membership of the Security

Council. This leaves us to defend Indias case to be a permanent member of UN

Security Council from the Indian Ocean region.

India was among the original members of the United Nations that signed

the Declaration by United Nations at Washington on 1 January 1942 and also

participated in the historic UN Conference of International Organization at San

Francisco from 25 April to 26 June 1945. India views that United Nations is an

important guarantee for maintaining international peace and security and

strengthening the United Nations has been a key principle of Indias foreign

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policy after independence. India stood at the forefront during the UN's efforts to

end colonialism and apartheid, its efforts towards global disarmament, ending ofthe

arms race, and creation of a more equitable international economic order. India

was on the forefront to declare Indian Ocean a "zone of peace during the Cold

War. (Pant, 2009; Kumar, 1984; International Peace Academy, 1986; and Kumar,

2000).

An active member of the UN, India has made notable contributions to the

General Assembly and other organs. In 1953, Indias Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was

elected first woman President of the UN General Assembly. As a prominent

member of the Non-Aligned Movement, India had traditionally represented the

interests of the developing nations in United Nations. In the early 1950s, India

advocated for Chinas legitimate claim for permanent seat in the UN. India's

mediatory role in resolving the stalemate over prisoners of war in Korea led to the

signing of the armistice ending the Korean War. India chaired the five-member

Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission while the Indian Custodian Force

supervised the process of interviews and repatriation that followed. The UN

entrusted Indian armed forces with subsequent peace missions in the Middle East,

Cyprus, and the Congo (now Zaire). India also served as chair of the three

international commissions for supervision and control for Vietnam, Cambodia,

and Laos established by the 1954 Geneva Accords on Indochina. India also has

served as a member of many UN bodies --including the Economic and Social

Council, the Human Rights Commission, and the Disarmament Commission-- and

on the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency. It also

played a prominent role in articulating the economic concerns of developing

countries in such UN-sponsored conferences as the triennial UN Conference on

Trade and Development and the 1992 Conference on the Environment and

Development in Rio de Janeiro. Other issues, such as sustainable development

and the promotion and protection of human rights, have also been an important

focus of India's foreign policy in international forums. India supports UN to play

an active role in ensuring global counter-terrorism cooperation; in particular, the

conclusion of the continuing negotiations on a Comprehensive Convention on

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International Terrorism. (Thakur, 2007 and Sawant, 2010). India believes that the

United Nations must undertake reforms that will make it truly

representative while enhancing its credibility and effectiveness. In particular, the

composition of the Security Council needs to change thereby reflecting

contemporary realities. This calls for, in the short-term a new international

initiative to bring structural reform in the Security Council.

Apart from its prominent role in United Nations, India has shown its

presence effectively on world stage in different ways. India is part of G8+5 group

of industrialized nations. It has been an active member of the Group of 77, and

later of the G-15 nations. It is the founder of the policy of Non-Alignment and has

played the most effective role to popularize it to make it a movement in the world.

To integrate with the Indian Ocean world, India conceptualized its Look East

Policy to extend its economic cooperation with the countries of Southeast Asia

and be part of Asia-Pacific. It became a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN in

1992 and its full dialogue partner 1995. India is also a member of the ASEAN

Regional Forum (ARF) since 1996 apart from an active member of SAARC

(South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and SAFTA (South Asian

Free Trade Area). India has an elaborate Focus Africa policy to develop

cooperation with South Africa, Nigeria, Mauritius, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana and

Ethiopia apart from organizing India-Africa Summit in 2008. The Gulf

Cooperation Council is already eying to make India as its Strategic Partner. India

is one of the Strategic Partners of European Union (EU). India has signed Free

Trade Area (FTA) agreements with many countries of the Indian Ocean region

and with economic group like ASEAN.

With roughly 1.32 million active standing army, 2.14 million reserve

forces and 1.3 million paramilitary forces, India has third-largest active troops in

the world. India armed forces have been helping the countries of Indian Ocean in

peace operations such as it sent Indian Peace Keeping Force to Sri Lanka between

1987 and 1990. When some sea-born mercenaries tried to take over the island

state of Maldives, Indian forces (Navy and Air Force) launched military operation

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"Operation Cactus, and successfully squashed the coup attempt and achieved full

control

of the country. India's intervention was appreciated by other nations such as the

United States, Soviet Union, Great Britain and its neighbours Nepal and

Bangladesh. Having about 55,000 naval troops and 20,000 strong Coast Guard,

India has worlds fifth largest navy and largest in the Indian Ocean. Its navy is

well-armed operating one aircraft carrier, over 40 surface combatants, and over a

dozen submarines. Indian Naval ships have demonstrated the Navy's emergence

as a regionally viable stabilising force. Indias active naval assistance has been

sought by many countries on the Ocean littoral such as Mauritius (who requested

surveillance of its Exclusive Economic Zone) and Mozambique. Even United

States has requested at times to safely escort out its trading ships in and around

Malacca straits. (Khalid, 2007; Upadhayaya, 2009) Its ships are permanently

deployed in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean to check Somali sea

pirates. Indian Navys capacity and capability to check and thwart piracy in the

Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea is well established.

India occupies a central position in the Indian Ocean region. Indias claim

to justify its demand for a permanent seat also lies in the fact that India has the

world's second largest population (every sixth humans in the world is an Indian)

and is the world's largest and most vibrant liberal democracy. It is largest

economy of the Indian Ocean region, ranking world's eleventh largest and fourth

largest in terms of purchasing power parity. India is third largest contributor of

troops to United Nations Peacekeeping missions after Bangladesh and Pakistan.

India is acknowledged as a technology superpower; a responsible and peace-

loving nation with its armed forces firmly under civilian control; a responsible

nuclear power with a strong record of non-proliferation; and one of the oldest

civilizations and a prolific fountainhead of influential culture and spirituality.

World opinion has increasingly advocated permanent membership for

India in the UN Security Council. Excerpts from some of the opinions published

on the subject in respectable news papers indicate as under;

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"Clearly, a seat for India would make the bodymore representative and democratic. With India as a member, theCouncil would be a more legitimate and thus a more effectivebody..." -- Robert Wilcox (International Herald Tribune)

"First, as soon as the dust settles in Iraq, we should push foran expansion of the Security Council--with India and Japan as newpermanent members" -- Charles Krauthammer (The WashingtonPost, June 4, 2010)

"Sometimes I wish that the five permanent members of theU.N. Security Council could be chosen...with a vote by the fans...Then the perm-five would be Russia, China, India, Britain and theUnited States. That's more like it. India is the world's biggestdemocracy, the world's largest Hindu nation and the world'ssecond-largest Muslim nation" --Thomas Friedman. (The New

York Times, February 9, 2003.)

Recognising Indias growing importance in the world as well as Indian

Ocean, President Bush had said in the National Security Strategy of the United

States of America released in September 2002, that:

"The United States has undertaken a transformation in its bilateralrelationship with India based on a conviction that U.S. interestsrequire a strong relationship with India. We are the two largestdemocracies, committed to political freedom protected byrepresentative government. India is moving toward greatereconomic freedom as well. We have a common interest in the freeflow of commerce, including through the vital sea-lanes of theIndian Ocean. Finally, we share an interest in fighting terrorismand in creating a strategically stable Asia." (Bush, 2002).

Representative Frank Pallone (founder of India Caucus in the US

Congress) introduced House Resolution 108 in the United States House of

Representatives, supporting a permanent seat for India in the United Nations

Security Council on February 26, 2003.

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Frank Pallone stated:

"I believe it is morally wrong to ignore the voice of over onebillion Indian people in security decision-making that affects them,

and the rest of the world. India's location, its large population, itshistory of participating in U.N. peacekeeping operations, and itsleadership in the non-alignment movement all justify its bid for apermanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. All five members of theUN Security Council must realize that having India as a permanentsecurity council member will give the South Asia region a stabilizingforce, helping peace efforts in Central Asia and all parts of ourincreasingly connected world. The United States should follow thelead of one of its most important allies and endorse a permanent seatfor India in the United Nations Security Council."

During his visit to India in 2010 President Obama offered his support for

India to become a permanent member of the Council. Addressing the Indian

Parliament he said I look forward to a reformed United Nations Security Council

that includes India as a permanent member. ((Hindustan Times, November 8,

2010). Describing India as a rising global power and appreciating it as a strong

democratic ally, Democratic Congressman Alcee Hastings introduced a bipartisan

resolution in the House of Representatives on February 17, 2011, expressing

support to India to be permanent member of the Security Council. This is a

qualitative shift in US position who had earlier been calling India a natural

choice for a permanent seat. With this support India became the only country to

have the endorsement of four of the five existing permanent members of the

Security Council.

Other permanent members of Security Council like Britain, France, and

Russia have also supported Indias claim to the Council as a permanent member.

British Prime Minister Robert Brown during his last visit to India supported

India's permanent seat on an expanded UN Security Council. While speaking to

the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Federation of Indian

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Chambers of Commerce, he said:

We can and must do more to make our global institutions morerepresentative It is amazing to see first hand the astonishing paceof change in IndiaThere is a prize for all of us in a confident 21stcentury India, working with a confident 21st century Britain in a

partnership of equals. (The Economic Times, January 21, 2008)

During his visit to India in December 2010, French President Nicolas

Sarkozy called for a permanent seat for India in the U.N. Security Council. In his

address at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), he said It was

unthinkable that a country of a billion people should have no representation in the

Security Council, and that India's recent election to the Security Council for two

years must serve as the prelude to a permanent Indian presence within the

UNSC. (Hindustan Times, December 4, 2010)

Russia has backed Indias claim for a permanent seat on a reformed

United Nations Security Council. During his visit to New Delhi in December

2010, President of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Medvedev said that UN

Security Council reform should be carried out in a manner that reflects

contemporary realities and makes the council more effective in dealing with

present-day and emerging challenges. He said that the Russian Federation

supports India as a deserving and strong candidate for a permanent seat in an

expanded UN security council. (GOI, 2010).

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder during his visit to India in October

2004 remarked after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that Germany will

support India in its efforts to gain a permanent seat in the United Nations Security

Council.25 Even arch-rival China said that it understood and supported Indias

desire to play a greater role in the UN. During his visit to New Delhi in December

2010, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao supported Indias aspiration of a greater role

in the UN. This support didnt however amount to unequivocal support for

Indias bid for a permanent seat; it simply supported

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India for greater participation.(GOI, 2010)

African Union consisting of 53 African states (which includes many

states of the Indian Ocean region like Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya,

Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan and Tanzania)

has extended its support to India for a seat in the Security Council. 27 Also, several

countries and such as Australia, Bangladesh, Chile, Czech Republic, have

supported India's candidacy for a permanent seat in Security Council. Among the

littoral states of the Indian Ocean South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, UAE,

Oman, Bahrain, Malaysia, Maldives, Indonesia, and Australia have supported

Indias claim for a seat in UN Security Council.

India began to emerge as a global economic player in 1990s and in 1998

India arrived on the global stage in a big way with the testing of a nuclear missile.

It has been elected seven times to the UN Security Council, and has served for the

most number of years as a non-permanent member from the region. The year

2010 marked the widespread global acceptance of India as a major player in

global affairs as five self-appointed global superpowers, along with other

nations, expressed support for Indias inclusion as a permanent member in an

expanded United Nations Security Council. If India becomes a permanent

member of the Security Council, it will fulfill a demand long overdue. Permanent

seat would give India leverage with other nations inside and outside the Security

Council. Above all, it will give representation to a large and very important

geopolitical region --the Indian Ocean.

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Documents

United Nations and Indian Ocean Region: A Case for India's Permenent Seat in the Security Council