India has been taking a principled and forward looking position on various issues

Having taken over the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for August, India will be focusing upon holding signature events in three major areas - maritime security, peacekeeping and counterterrorism during this entire month.

In a video message on the eve of assuming the rotational presidency of the important 15-member UN body on Saturday, India’s Permanent Representative to UN, Ambassador T S Tirumurti informed about India’s priorities during its Presidency in August.

“It is a singular honour for us to be presiding over the Security Council the same month when we are celebrating our 75th Independence Day,” he said.

Recalling that this is India’s eighth tenure at the UN Security Council, Ambassador Tirumurti said that in the last 7 months of its tenure, India had taken a principled and forward looking position on various issues.

“We have been unafraid of shouldering responsibilities and have focused on issues of our priorities,” he maintained.

India has made efforts to bridge the different voices within the council to ensure that the council comes together and speaks to once voice on a variety of important issues of the day, the Indian Permanent Representative to UN said.

“This is what we will bring into our presidency,” he added.

Ambassador Tirumurti stated that India will be organizing signature events in three major areas- maritime security,
peacekeeping and counterterrorism.

“Maritime security has high priority. It is important for the security council to take a holistic approach to this issue,” he maintained.

“Peacekeeping is a topic close to our hearts, given our own long and pioneering involvement with peacekeeping. We will be focusing on how to ensure the safety of peacekeepers, especially by using better technology and how to bring perpetrators of crimes against peacekeepers to justice,” Tirumurti said.

“Further as a country which has been at the forefront in the fight against terrorism, we would keep the spotlight on counter-terrorism,” he noted.

The Indian envoy to UN thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for countinuing to guide India’s permanent mission, especially during its stint in the UNSC.

Tomorrow, being the first working day of India’s presidency, Tirumurti will hold a hybrid press briefing in the UN headquarters on the Council’s programme of work.

According to a schedule released by UN, the Indian envoy to UN will also provide a briefing for member states of the United Nations which are non-members of the Council on its work for the month.

Anchored in its non-aligned and independent foreign policy guided by values of democracy, respect of law and its mission to build a fair and equitable international system, India’s tenure as a non-permanent member of the UNSC is much awaited among the international community.

Guided by the "Five S’s”, as set out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi viz. Samman (Respect), Samvad (Dialogue), Sahyog (Cooperation) and Shanti (Peace), to create conditions for universal and Samriddhi (Prosperity), India’s overall objective during its tenure in the UN Security Council has been the achievement of N.O.R.M.S: a New Orientation for a Reformed Multilateral System.