"India launches campaign for UNSC non-permanent seat for 2028–29 term"
P5
The five permanent members of the UNSC (USA, UK, France, Russia, China) holding veto rights.
Veto power
A P5 member's right to block any substantive UNSC resolution under Article 27.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) was established under Chapter V of the UN Charter (1945) as the principal organ responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security. It comprises 15 members — 5 permanent (P5) and 10 non-permanent members elected by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) for two-year, non-renewable terms. The P5 — the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China — hold veto rights over substantive resolutions under Article 27 of the UN Charter. Non-permanent seats are distributed across five regional groups: Africa (3 seats), Asia-Pacific (2), Latin America and Caribbean (2), Western Europe and Others Group or WEOG (2), and Eastern Europe (1). Substantive decisions require 9 affirmative votes including all P5 concurring votes, while procedural matters require only 9 votes without the veto applying.
India has served as a non-permanent member eight times: 1950–51, 1967–68, 1972–73, 1977–78, 1984–85, 1991–92, 2011–12, and most recently 2021–22. India is a founding member of the G4 group — comprising India, Germany, Japan, and Brazil — which collectively advocates for permanent membership for emerging powers and a more representative Security Council. India's long-standing position, articulated consistently since the 1990s and supported by NCERT-level policy consensus, is that the UNSC's composition has remained largely static even as UNGA membership has expanded considerably, harming the Council's representative character. India also argues that an expanded Council with greater representation would enjoy broader legitimacy in the world community.
Non-permanent members are elected by a two-thirds majority of the UNGA — currently 128 votes out of 191 voting members. Candidates are typically nominated by their respective regional groups before the UNGA election, making intra-group consensus a critical first step. The Asia-Pacific Group allocates two non-permanent seats, and competition within the group determines which states advance to the full UNGA vote. Five elected members retire every year, creating a rolling rotation. The election for the 2028–29 term is scheduled for June 2027, with India contesting against Tajikistan for one of the two Asia-Pacific seats.
The UNSC's five regional groups reflect Cold War-era geopolitics. The WEOG includes the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel — a grouping that is structurally anomalous given that the US is also a P5 member. The Eastern Europe group retains its Cold War nomenclature even though the geopolitical landscape has transformed. …
With reference to the "United Nations Credentials Committee", consider the following statements:
1.It is a committee set up by the UN Security Council and works under its supervision.
2.It traditionally meets in March, June and September every year.
3.It assesses the credentials of all UN members before submitting a report to the General Assembly for approval.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the UN Security Council's non-permanent membership:
1.Non-permanent members are elected by a two-thirds majority of the UN General Assembly for two-year, non-renewable terms.
2.The Asia-Pacific regional group holds three non-permanent seats on the UNSC.
3.Five non-permanent members retire every year, creating a rolling rotation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following correctly identifies the composition of the G4 group that advocates for expanded permanent membership of the UN Security Council?
With reference to the UN Charter provisions governing the UN Security Council, consider the following statements:
1.Substantive UNSC decisions require nine affirmative votes including the concurring votes of all five permanent members.
2.Charter amendments under Article 108 require ratification by two-thirds of UN members but do not require P5 concurrence.
3.Procedural matters in the UNSC require only nine affirmative votes and are not subject to the veto.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Want the full note, Prelims Facts & MCQ answers?
Create a free account — takes less than a minute.
Create free account