India, which has joined the United Nations Security Council after a of gap of 19 years, is most likely to be given a key responsibility by this powerful 15-membered body in fight against terrorism; thus acknowledging New Delhi's prominent role in the global war against terror.
Rediff.com takes a look at how the Indian sojourn turned out for the presidents and prime ministers of the mighty P5.
The United Nations Security Council failed to arrive at a consensus statement on the Korean crisis in a marathon meeting of its members after veto-wielding powers China and Russia did not agree with the western nations' demand to strongly condemn North Korea for last month's attack on a South Korean island.
The United States will host a team from India at the State Department over two days beginning on Monday to discuss strategy for a way forward toward UNSC expansion.
In the wake of China blocking United Nations Security Council's sanctions against Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, India has provided detailed information to it about his involvement in terror activities, and hopes Beijing would support the move. The issue figured during the talks between special representatives -- National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo in New Delhi last Friday and Saturday.
India's Permanent Representative to the UN Hardeep Puri invited over two dozen journalists from the mainstream American media, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, at a working luncheon to get its point of view on the UN reform process across.
In an interaction that followed his keynote speech at a conference on US-India Relations, Barack Obama administration's point man for South Asia, Robert Blake was asked how he saw the Indo-US partnership playing out in the UN Security Council in the wake of the US endorsement.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, on Tuesday flagged the responsibilities which come along with a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council, saying India may also be required to send its troops on UN-backed missions to defend peace on foreign shores.
Chinese premier Wen Jiabao said China will be 'pleased' to see India become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
United States President Barack Obama kept his endorsement of India's bid for a permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council secret till minutes before he rose to address the Indian Parliament, as his move was splashed on front pages of American newspapers on Monday.
In interviews with rediff.com, experts argued that in many ways it was a sense of deja vu all over again vis-a-vis India's voting patterns in the United Nations on major issues and its anachronistic non-aligned bent where New Delhi retreats to assume 'weak and safe positions' particularly where its leadership as a democratic and emerging power is required.
Terming India a 'deserving candidate,' Russia on Monday backed its claim for a permanent membership in an expanded United Nations Security Council reflecting present-day realities.
"Are they ready to review their decisions? If they do, we can also review our decisions. Review will be on both sides," Qureshi said.
India will back any United Nations Security Council sanctions against Iran over the question of its nuclear weapons programme, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Council on Foreign Relations last week.He hoped, however, that President Barack Obama's ongoing outreach programme to Teheran would result in a viable compromise, and obviate the need for such harsh action.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said Monday that India has unambiguously said it's against Iran developing or acquiring nuclear weapons and that if the United Nations Security Council slaps sanctions against Tehran, it would support such action, but hoped United States President Obama's outreach to Iran on this issue would yield a compromise that doesn't necessitate such an outcome.
Meira Kumar said this while intervening in the discussion on priorities for the UN and its reform, at the second meeting of the Preparatory Committee of Speakers of Parliaments. The meeting was organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union at the United Nations in New York
Addressing the UNGA plenary session Clegg called for enlarging the Security Council 'to make up for the failure to fully face new challenges posed by a global map' that has radically changed since the world body was founded 65 years ago.
India on Tuesday banned exports and imports of all items from North Korea that can be used in nuclear or ballistic missile plans. The Commerce Ministry imposed a blanket ban on "all items, materials, equipment, goods and technologies which could contribute to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear-related, ballistic missile-related and other weapons of mass destruction-related programmes".
Visiting Namibian Foreign Minister Marco Hausiku conveyed his country's "strong support" to India's candidature for permanent membership of the Security Council during talks with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
The United States on Saturday said India's position on the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty will not impact the nuclear agreement between the two countries and expressed hope about moving forward with the landmark agreement."We've said before that the resolution that was passed on Thursday unanimously by the United Nations Security Council does not have any bearing on our bilateral civil nuclear cooperation," said an US official.
Shortly after the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution asking the non-Non Proliferation Treaty countries to sign the NPT, India on Thursday ruled out signing the agreement saying, "It cannot support a discriminatory" pact.
Traders are 'chowkidar' (watchman) of Indian economy, CAIT secretary general said.
The US said the removal of the ban on the Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation would jeopardise Pakistan's ability to meet its commitments to fight terrorism.
As New Delhi seeks to cement its place as a world leader with its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, a survey released on Wednesday said that the Indian leadership is not much known in the world.
Jamaat ud-Dawa chief and Lashkar-e-Tayiba founder Hafiz Mohammed Saeed cannot be prosecuted for involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks without 'concrete evidence' against him, Pakistan's top law official said on Wednesday. "The government has the evidence provided by the United Nations Security Council that can only keep Saeed behind bars for a certain period of time under the Maintenance of Public Order law," said Attorney General Latif Khosa.
Days after the United States backed India's quest for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council, Germany on Tuesday suggested that New Delhi will have to continue to work under the format of G-4 to achieve it, arguing that no country could alone get the required votes.
India has sought China's support for its bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council during a meeting between President Pratibha Patil and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Bejing. Patil, who arrived in Beijing on Wednesday on a six-day visit to China, was welcomed warmly by Wen at the Purple Light Pavilion.
President Pratibha Patil discussed bilateral issues of mutual interest and situation in the region with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Thursday.
Pakistan will fulfil international obligations regarding the designation of individuals and entities by the United Nations as terrorist, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told visiting US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.
Earlier, China had extended the "technical hold" on India's move to get Azhar designated as a terrorist by the UN.
Is this the time to use India's forex reserves to bail out Dubai? The emirate might be grateful, but how would the others in the United Arab Emirates react? asks TVR Shenoy.
'It is all Pakistan. They have not thought of bringing India into the biggest foreign policy crisis the US has had, which is Afghanistan and eventually Pakistan,' says South Asia expert Stephen P Cohen.
The members of the Security Council voiced their strong opposition to and condemnation of the nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on May 25, 2009, which constitutes a clear violation of resolution 1718, the non-binding statement said.
Seeking China's backing for a permanent United Nations Security Council seat for India, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Tuesday called on Beijing to 'review' its policies on UN reforms to 'welcome' its neighbour to the core group of the world body."Indeed, even on the complex issue of UN reforms, it is time for China to review previously held positions and welcome the presence of, in the Security Council, a nation with which it has much in common," Krishna said.
The United Nations Security Council on Thursday asked the Tamil Tigers to immediately surrender, renounce terrorism and join the political process through dialogue to put an end to the decades old ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. "We demand that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam immediately lay down arms, renounce terrorism, allow a UN assisted evacuation of the remaining civilians in the conflict area, and join the political process through dialogue," UNSC stated.
International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Mohammad ElBaradei has said that he does not expect India to sign the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty, but feels the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty could be more "acceptable".
United States President Barack Obama has assured Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the United Nations Security Council resolution asking non-Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty states to sign the proliferation treaty is not directed against India and that his country would fulfill all obligations with regard to the nuclear deal.
Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi has opposed the expansion of the United Nations Security Council by including countries like India which would spur a 'competition' with nations like Pakistan wanting to get in.
The United Nations Security Council on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution asking all non-Non Proliferation Treaty states to join the treaty at an unprecedented summit chaired by United States President Barack Obama who signalled that these countries, which include India, must come on board.
The key is to act and not wait and watch before the limited window of opportunity shuts, argues Shanthie Mariet D'Souza.
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