- Monday, February 24, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi will chair a United Nations Security Council debate on August 9 on maritime security, the country’s ministry of external affairs (MEA) said on Monday (2).
This will be the first time that an Indian prime minister will preside over the debate, one of the signature events being organised by India during its presidency of the powerful body in August. India is one of the 10 non-permanent members of the council in the 2021-22 period. India entered the body on January 1 this year and will again preside over the council in December 2022, the last month of its two-year tenure.
“PM @narendramodi will Chair Open Debate on “Maintenance of international peace and security: Maritime security” in virtual mode @UN #SecurityCouncil on 9th August. This will be the 1st time an Indian Prime Minister will preside over Open Debate. #PMChairsUNSC #IndiainUNSC,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.
The Asian power will conduct some high-level signature events during its presidential tenure on areas like maritime security, peacekeeping and counter-terrorism.
Ambassador TS Tirumurti, India’s permanent representative to the UN, said in a video message on the eve of the country taking over the presidency of the security council that maritime security has a high priority for India and it is important for the council to take a holistic approach to the issue.
The UN Security Council includes 15 members (five permanent besides the 10 non-permanent ones).
“Peacekeeping is a topic close to our hearts, given our own long and pioneering involvement with peacekeeping,” the envoy said said, adding that India will focus on how to ensure the safety of peacekeepers, especially by using better technology and how to bring perpetrators of crimes against peacekeepers to justice.
He also said India has been at the forefront in the fight against terrorism and will continue to keep a spotlight on fighting the menace.
