On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered a sharp critique of the organization, questioning its effectiveness in addressing global terrorism. Without directly naming Pakistan, he pointed out that when a Security Council member openly defends a group responsible for heinous terrorist attacks—such as the one in Pahalgam—it severely damages the credibility of multilateralism. Equating the victims and perpetrators of terrorism, he said, makes the global system morally indefensible. When those who proudly call themselves terrorists are shielded from sanctions, it casts serious doubt on the integrity of the institution.
The minister’s remarks were aimed at the Security Council’s tendency to assess India and Pakistan on an equal footing. He candidly stated that “all is not well” with the United Nations, observing that in its 80 years of existence, the UN has witnessed more failures than successes. India has long been advocating for comprehensive reforms in the UN’s structure, emphasizing the need for greater representation and India’s rightful inclusion as a permanent member of the Security Council—a demand repeatedly raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on international platforms. The question remains: how long must India wait for permanent membership in an organization that seems to have strayed from its founding purpose—ensuring global peace?
A major failure of the Security Council is its continued inability to define terrorism clearly. If urgent reforms are not undertaken, the very credibility of the UN will be at risk. The UN was established with four key objectives: maintaining international peace and security, promoting friendly relations among nations, fostering cooperation on global issues and human rights, and serving as a platform for coordinating collective action. Yet, prolonged conflicts such as the Russia–Ukraine war and the recurring hostilities between Israel and Arab nations have raised serious questions about the UN’s relevance and effectiveness.
Despite these challenges, India has consistently supported the UN’s initiatives in areas such as development, poverty eradication, climate change, disarmament, counterterrorism, and human rights. As the world’s second most populous nation and a rapidly rising economic power, India remains committed to upholding peace and cooperation on the global stage.
India’s foreign policy has always championed global harmony, making its exclusion from the Security Council’s permanent membership both unjust and short-sighted. Since the inception of the UN, India has been one of the largest contributors to peacekeeping operations—over 180,000 Indian troops have participated in missions across the world, and about 800 officers from 82 countries have received peacekeeping training from India.
The UN’s record, however, is marred by grave failures. The 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which 800,000 people were massacred despite the presence of UN peacekeepers, remains a dark chapter in its history. Similarly, the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the United States—carried out without Security Council authorization—claimed millions of lives. During the Syrian civil war, which resulted in over 500,000 deaths, the Security Council once again stood as a silent spectator. These instances reveal how veto powers have been misused by dominant nations to serve their own interests, undermining the very principles the UN was founded to uphold.
