India Takes Over UNSC Presidency For A Month 

India on Sunday assumed the rotating Presidency of the United Nations Security Council for the month of August. The agenda is to focus on  three major areas of maritime security, peacekeeping and counter-terrorism. After completing  nine tenures earlier from 1950 to 2012, this is the tenth time that India assumed the rotating Presidency of the United Nations Security Council. 

However, the August presidency will be India’s first Presidency during its 2021-22 tenure. India will again preside over the Council in December next year, the last month of its two-year tenure. India began its two-year tenure as a non-permanent member of the UNSC on January 1, this year.On Saturday, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti in a video message said, “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 further added that  “India has just assumed the presidency of The UN Security Council on 1st August. India and France enjoy historical and close relations. I thank France for all the support which they’ve given us during our stint in the Security Council,” he further added.

Apart from meeting on maritime security, peacekeeping and counter-terrorism, India will also be organising a solemn event in memory of peacekeepers. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also took to Twitter to mark the occasion, and said that India will always be “voice of moderation, an advocate of dialogue and a proponent of international law.” Taking over to  its tenure, India thanked France, its immediate predecessor in the position, for leading the Council in July.

(With Inputs From Agencies)