Address by EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar at the launch of India’s campaign for United Nations Security Council 2028-29 (July 13, 2026)

Ambassador Harish, Excellencies, dear colleagues,

It is a pleasure to join you today afternoon to launch India’s candidature to serve as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the term 2028-29. We do so at a time when the world is facing a profound paradox. Never before has the world possessed such immense capabilities to advance human welfare at this scale. At the same time, we are witnessing levels of conflict, violence and instability that threaten even those who may be far away. To address this complexity, the United Nations must take the lead and the Security Council must show the way. Elections to its membership consequently assume great importance.

2. As a candidate, it is natural that member states would like to understand what India brings to the table. One part of that is our vision of the priorities that the world and the United Nations must address. The other is a track record which enables the international community to make its own judgement.
3. Let me address the priorities first. As we contemplate the global order, India’s focus will be on working for a secure, peaceful and equitable world. A world where the voice of the Global South is heard in equal measure. A world where peacekeeping is ready for contemporary and future challenges. A world where multilateralism reflects contemporary realities and provides effective solutions, not remain a bystander. A world where the promise of technology is fully realized, while safeguarding against its misuse and misapplication. A world as well, whose oceans are safe and secure, so that maritime lifelines are not threatened. A world where the scourge of terrorism is countered by choking the resources that feed it. And a world where climate action and climate justice, clean energy transitions and sustainable growth are both valued and pursued.
4. Excellencies and Colleagues, each of these priorities is a facet of a larger goal that reflects our indivisible and integrated nature of existence. Recent developments have only demonstrated that peace, progress and prosperity cannot be sustained in a fragmented manner. We are too tightly bound, whether it is through supply chains, technology or communication. The world must, therefore, focus on holistic advancement, both as individual nations and as the international community. But that journey can only be undertaken effectively when global order is valued and rules are respected. This puts a premium on Norms, on Trust and on Integrity. And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the approach that India offers. Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity; i.e., SHANTI, as an acronym, which is our word for Peace.
5. Allow me to dwell a little more on our priorities. Like many nations that emerged independent again after decolonization, India is convinced that peace is strengthened by participation, not achieved by domination. The world is inherently pluralistic and the United Nations itself is constituted on the basis of sovereign equality. It is imperative that globally consequential decisions and policies are made through adequate deliberation. For that reason, we have held the Voice of Global South summits to forge common ground on important issues. During its G20 Presidency, India also ensured the entry of the African Union as a formal member. Our development partnership spans more than a 100 member states across Asia, Africa, and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. When major conflicts occurred, India has also enhanced global awareness about their implications for food, fuel and fertilizer security. We commit to present the concerns of the Global South on international peace and security before the Security Council.
6. Colleagues, we are all aware that global governance has to reform in order to transform. For that to happen, multilateralism must be democratic, representative and effective. There will be understandably different points of view and divergent interests on the major issues of the day. But that only enhances the value of harmonizing them and enabling the Security Council to be more robust, responsive and ready. Nations like India, which have a long history of bridging differences and building consensus, can certainly make their due contribution.
7. Peacekeeping has been a crucial element of maintenance of international peace and security since the very inception of the United Nations. And India has always been in the forefront of discharging that responsibility. Our cumulative contribution is nearly 300,000 deployments in about 50 missions worldwide. Currently, we have 4300 personnel across 10 of the 11 active missions. As we all know, most of these missions are in Africa. Few countries would have our experience in preparing peacekeeping to be future-ready. There are different aspects including matching of mandates to resources, safety of peacekeepers, understanding of ground realities and wider consultations that need to be adequately factored. Future-ready peacekeeping means to be better equipped, to be technologically enabled, to be realistically mandated and focused on core objectives. India stands strongly with the Women, Peace and Security agenda and will always champion the role of women peacekeepers.
8. Colleagues, as the world evolves, striking a balance between the benefits and risks of technology gains salience. And the reason is that technology itself is impacting our daily existence in a more profound manner. Artificial Intelligence (AI) represents its cutting edge today. India has put forward a human-centric vision of AI, that draws on both its capabilities and on India’s traditions. Our word for that is MANAV, which is an acronym for Moral and ethical systems, Accountable governance, National sovereignty, Accessible and inclusive, and Valid and legitimate systems. As a nation that has contributed to bridging the global digital divide, we stand equally committed in respect of AI. That is why the recent AI Impact Summit in India was based on a vision of ‘AI for all’. Equally important, we are also determined to counter the misuse of AI and threats it may pose to international peace and security in different ways.
9. Friends, in an era where supply chains connect our economies, the world is also increasingly focused on securing the maritime commons. Recent events have only underlined the need to do so. The challenge begins with ensuring adherence to relevant international law, specifically the UNCLOS. Our collective interest is in maintaining safe and unimpeded flow of maritime commerce. Where required, those nations with requisite capabilities must cooperate to combat piracy as well. The safety of seafarers is another major concern thrown up by developments in the Gulf. Promoting search and rescue missions, providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) and encouraging capacity building while sharing best practices - these have long been facets where India has long been active . Our International Fusion Centre anchors a cooperative network that covers the entire Indian Ocean region. We will endeavour to ensure that these issues get the attention they deserve from the Security Council.
10. Colleagues, even as the world strives to sustain growth and promote prosperity, some longstanding challenges continue to confront us. Significant among them is terrorism. For far too long, our efforts have concentrated on countering its symptoms. But that would only give us limited results unless we are focused on constricting its resource base. Our commitment is to concentrate on countering terror financing and encourage objective and evidence-based proposals for listing of terrorist groups.
11. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, when India advocates ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’ (World is a family) as an approach, we don’t simply preach; we practice it as well. So let me share with you today a few recent examples of our contribution to global well-being:

(i)In maritime security, India makes wide-ranging and regular contributions, including in anti-piracy, counter-narcotics and anti-trafficking operations. Apart from the Fusion Centre that I spoke about in India, our forces are protecting sea lanes across the Indo-Pacific, specifically in northern and southern Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Malacca Straits and even the Gulf of Guinea.

(ii)A long record of peacekeeping is today extended to offering training and capacity building to 98 nations in the Delhi Centre of UN Peacekeeping. The standards we set are reflected in the awards by the United Nations to two of our women officers recently.

(iii)In disaster response, through Operation Amistad just this month, an Indian field hospital and medical contingent rendered immediate treatment and relief after the earthquake in Venezuela.

(iv)Let me give you a fourth example. UNRWA recognizes India as its top emerging donor. We have only yesterday at the Palestine donor group meeting in Brussels, additionally committed to setting up a specialty hospital, an artificial limb fitment centre and a vocational training institute for Palestine. This is in line with our longstanding support for a two-State solution.

(v)As a First Responder, whether it was Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka or Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, India stepped forward decisively. Our prompt mobilization, disaster response teams and emergency supplies have made a difference to the lives of many.

(vi)In advancing health security, India is building further on vaccine supplies to the Global South. We have gifted medicines and life-saving equipment to a range of destinations, among them Afghanistan, Tanzania, Madagascar, Maldives, Fiji, Vanuatu and Peru. The medical assistance for Africa CDC for containment of Ebola is yet another example.

(vii)In pursuance of food security, India has responded to crisis situations in a number of countries - Sierra Leone, Madagascar, Burkina Faso, Mozambique and Malawi, being some of the examples. .

(viii)To strengthen energy and fertilizer security in these turbulent times, we have been a reliable supplier of these products to our neighbours.

(ix)And where the larger canvas of development is concerned, there are today Indian-funded projects in as many as 79 countries across multiple geographies.

(x)So these represent a strong statement of solidarity, and let me say this, in a world with too many conflicts and tensions, India has consistently espoused dialogue and diplomacy. We have sought to bridge differences, we have sought to find common ground. Our focus has been on mitigating the impact of these developments for the Global South.

12.So colleagues, friends, from this, you can judge for yourself the level of India’s commitment to a more secure, stable and prosperous world. Those goals are best achieved through wider consultations and harmonizing different interests. We believe that India’s presence in the Security Council will help strengthen decision making in this vital body. We therefore seek your support for our candidature. I thank you for your attention.

New York
July 13, 2026