India on Friday laid out the priorities of its campaign to secure an elected seat on the UN Security Council with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar asserting that the country can play a “positive global role” at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic and its grave economic repercussions will test the world like never before.

Jaishankar at an event launched a brochure outlining India’s priorities for the United Nations Security Council (2020-2021) seat campaign.

The UNSC elections are slated for June 17.

As a single endorsed candidate of the Asia-Pacific Group, India’s candidature is very likely to succeed. Once elected, it would be its eighth term on the UN Security Council. The new two-year tenure will start in January 2021.

Launching the bid, Jaishankar said India will seek responsible and inclusive solutions; concrete and result-oriented action at the UNSC for an effective response to international terrorism; reform multilateralism to reflect contemporary realities; a comprehensive approach to peace and security guided by dialogue, mutual respect and commitment to international law for which India also hopes to streamline UN peace keeping; and technology with a human touch.

The minister further said that since the last time when India had a seat at the UNSC, four different challenges have emerged.

First, the normal process of international governance has been under increasing strain as frictions have increased. Second, traditional and non-traditional security challenges continue to grow unchecked. Terrorism is the most egregious of such examples, he said.

Third, global institutions remain unreformed and under-representative and they are therefore, less able to deliver. Fourth, the COVID-19 pandemic and its grave economic repercussions will test the world like never before, he said.

In this extraordinary situation, India can play a positive global role, Jaishankar asserted.

“We have always been a voice of reason and a votary of international law. We advocate dialogue, consultation and fairness in our approach to global issues,” the minister said.

“As a rule abiding democracy and a positive contributor to the security of the global commons, India will work constructively with partners to overcome old and new faultlines and offer innovative and inclusive solutions, help developing countries obtain the necessary support to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, help focus more on development, support greater involvement of women and youth in shaping a new paradigm and finally enhance transparency, credibility, representation and effectiveness of the council,” Jaishankar said.

India emphasises global development addressing climate change and eradicating poverty as central to the planet’s future, he said.

The minister said India’s approach will be guided by five ‘S’s, as set out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi — 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, he said, will be the achievement of N.O.R.M.S: a New Orientation for a Reformed Multilateral System.

Emphasizing India’s long-standing role as a voice of moderation, an advocate of dialogue, and a proponent of international law, Jaishankar set out India’s principled approach to international relations, which India’s foreign policy establishment would bring to the table at the UN Security Council, once India is elected to a two-year term on the Council.

(With agency inputs)