PM Modi to be first Indian PM to preside over UNSC meeting as India assumes rotating presidency
Meanwhile, France said it is committed to working with India on strategic issues as maritime security, peacekeeping, and counter-terrorism.
India on Sunday assumed the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and will be hosting signature events related to maritime security, peacekeeping, and counterterrorism during the month. India took over the presidency from France. Ambassador of India to United Nations, TS Tirumurti thanked France Permanent Representative to the UN, Nicolas de Riviere, for steering the UN Security Council for the month of July.
"Thank you Ambassador @NDeRiviere, PR of France for steering the UN #SecurityCouncil for the month of July. India takes over the Presidency for August," Tirumurti tweeted.
PM Modi to be first Indian PM to preside over UNSC meeting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the first Indian PM to preside over a meeting during New Delhi's presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), said Syed Akbaruddin, India's former envoy to UN, on Sunday. Speaking to India, Former Permanent Representative of India to UN, Akkbarudin said that in over 75 years, this is the first time Indian political leadership has invested in presiding over an event of the 15-member UN body and this depicts that the country's leadership wants to lead from the front.
"Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the first Indian Prime Minister, who has decided to preside over a meeting of the United Nation Security Council. It shows that leadership wants to lead from the front. It also shows that India and its political leadership are invested in our foreign policy ventures," Syed Akbaruddin, who is currently Dean of Kautilya School of Public Policy.
Prime Minister Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and foreign secretary Harsh Shringla will also chair high-level meetings on topics of global importance.
"This is our eighth stint on the UNSC yet in the 75+years, this is the first time that our political leadership has invested in presiding over an event of the security council," Akbaruddin said.
"Although this is a virtual meeting, it's still a first meeting of the sort for us. It is historic. The last time an Indian PM was engaged in this effort was the then PM PV Narasimha Rao in 1992 when he attended a UNSC meeting," he added.
Video: What Syed Akbaruddin said on India assuming UNSC presidency
How France responded
Meanwhile, France said it is committed to working with India on strategic issues as maritime security, peacekeeping, and counter-terrorism.
"Delighted that India is today taking over #UNSC presidency from France. We are committed to working with India on strategic issues as maritime security, peacekeeping, and counter-terrorism, and upholding a rules-based, multilateral system to face today's many ongoing crises," Ambassador of France to India Emmanuel Lenain tweeted.
This is India's first presidency in the UNSC during its 2021-22 tenure as a non-permanent member of the UNSC. The two-year tenure of India as a non-permanent member of the UNSC began on January 1, 2021.
During the presidency of the powerful 15-nation UN body, India said it will be focusing on maritime security, peacekeeping, and counterterrorism.
In a video message, India's Representative to the United Nations TS Tirumurti on Friday talked about New Delhi's agenda as it will take over the rotating presidency of the UNSC.
He said India will be organizing signature events in three key areas -- maritime security, peacekeeping, and counterterrorism.
Ambassador Tirumurti further said that New Delhi will continue to keep the spotlight on counter-terrorism.
"Further, as a country that has been at the forefront of the fight against terrorism, we will continue to keep the spotlight on counter-terrorism. I would like to thank Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and External Affairs Minister (S Jaishankar) for counting to guide our permanent mission especially during our stint during the security council," he said.
This is India's eighth tenure in the UNSC.
The first working day of India's presidency will be on Monday, August 2 when Tirumurti will hold a hybrid press briefing in the UN headquarters on the Council's programme of work for the month.
(With ANI inputs)