UNSC full form is United Nations Security Council . It was established in 1945, and it is one of the 5 principle organs of the United Nations. United Nations Security Council is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security.

Is India a member of the UNSC?

India is a non-permanent member of the UNSC for 2021-2022. India was the only category from the Asia-pacific region for the year 2021-2022. This is the 8th time India has become a member of the UNSC.

Why India is not a permanent member of the UNSC?

There are many roadblocks that are stopping India from becoming a permanent member of the UNSC. One of the major factors is because of the fact that India possesses nuclear weapons.

Who are the 15 members of the UNSC?

The UNSC is composed of 15 members, of which 5 are permanent members and 10 are non-permanent. The permanent members are China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The non-permanent members are elected for 2 years terms by the General Assembly.

What is the role of the United Nations Security Council?

The UNSC is responsible for the maintenance of international security and peace. United Nations Security Council has 15 members, and each of them has one vote.

What countries are in the United Nations Security Council?

The UNSC has five permanent members- France, Russian Federation, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States. There are 10 non-permanent United Nations Security Council members as well who are elected for two-year terms.

How many permanent members are there in the United Nations Security Council?

There are five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. The five permanent members of the UNSC are France, Russian Federation, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

How does the United Nations Security Council work?

The UNSC has 15 members, of which 5 are permanent and 10 are non-permanent. Each member of the United Nations Security Council has one vote. Under the Charter of the UN, all member states are obligated to comply with the UN council decisions.

When was the United Nations Security Council formed?

The UNSC was formed after World War II on 24 October 1945 to address the failure of the League of Nations to maintain peace in the world.

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United Nations Security Council(UNSC): Powers and Functions

By Balaji

Updated on: February 17th, 2023

UNSC, or United Nations Security Council, was established in 1945, and is one of the five principal organs of the United Nation. It is headquartered in New York and is responsible for maintaining international security and peace. UNSC is also charged with accepting new members to the United Nation and approving any changes to UN Charter. India started its two-year tenure as a non-permanent member of the UNSC on January 1, 2021.

In this article, we are going to cover everything about the UNSC UPSC Notes as questions related to United Nations Security Council have been asked in the UPSC Civil Services Examination.

Table of content

1. What is United Nations Security Council?
2. Functions and Powers of UNSC
3. United Nations Security Council Members
4. India as Non-Permanent Member of UNSC
5. India & United Nations Security Council
6. Challenges for India in Getting a Permanent Seat at UNSC
7. UNSC UPSC

What is United Nations Security Council?

Established in 1945, United Nations Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. The power of the UNSC includes the establishment of peacekeeping operations, international sanctions, and military action authorization through the security council resolutions.

UNSC is the only body of the United Nations that has the authority to issue binding resolutions to the member states. United Nations Security Council consists of 15 members, including 5 permanent members and 10 non-permanent members that are elected for 2-year terms by the United Nations General Assembly.

Functions and Powers of UNSC

Below, we have mentioned the powers and functions of the United Nations Security Council.

To maintain peace and security globally with the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
To determine the existing threat to peace and decide what action should be taken.
Take military action when needed
UNSC recommends a method of adjusting disputes
It also investigates any situation or dispute that can lead to international friction.
To call on members to apply economic sanctions and other measures to prevent aggression.

United Nations Security Council Members

There are both permanent and non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

The total number of members of the UNSC is 15, out of which 10 are not permanent, and 5 are permanent.
The 5 permanent members of the UNSC include China, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and United States. The 10, not permanent members are Albania, Brazi, Gabon, Ghana, India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Norway, and United Arab Emirates.
The non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council are elected for 2-year terms by the UNGA (United Nations General Assembly).
The five non-permanent members of the UNSC get replaced every year.

India as Non-Permanent Member of UNSC

India is a non-permanent member of UNSC for the 2-year term 2021-2022. India was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council by winning 184 out of 194 votes at UNGA.

India was the one candidate from the Asia-Pacific region for the year 2021-2022.
This was India’s 8th time being part of the UNSC.
Previously, India was a part of United Nations Security Council in 950-1951, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 1977-1978, 1984-1985, 1991-1992, and 2011-12.
Being a member of UNSC, India is responsible for promoting international peace and security through its 5-S approach, namely, Samman – Respect, Sahyog – Cooperation, Samvad – Dialogue, Samriddhi – Prosperity, and Shanti – Peace.

India & United Nations Security Council

India has been trying hard for many years to become a permanent member of the UNSC, but it hasn’t been successful. Even though India is one of the countries in the world with a high population, nuclear power, and a growing economy, it hasn’t been able to become one of its permanent members. India has raised a list of claims to secure its place as one of the permanent members of the UNSC, such as

India has become one of the fastest growing economies in the world,
It has the status of a Nuclear Weapons State.
India is the most highly populated country and the largest liberal democracy in the world.

Challenges for India in Getting a Permanent Seat at UNSC

There have been many roadblocks for India when it comes to getting a permanent seat at UNSC.

Even though it seems an easy process, it is made tough by the objections of some permanent members of the UNSC. especially China has been blocking India’s way of getting a permanent seat.
India is seen as a proliferating nuclear power, and it is one of the significant factors that has been working as a roadblock.
Rising polarization between the major powers is one of the challenges as well.
There are only 5 seats for becoming a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. However, in 2019, France became the latest member of the UNSC and pushed the permanent seat of India.
For now, it seems like a distant dream for India to become a member of the UNSC.

UNSC UPSC

United Nations Security Council is a part of the UPSC Syllabus. Candidates preparing for the UPSC exam can find its mention in the GS Paper-2. That’s why we have prepared the UNSC UPSC notes that would help the candidates in their preparation. Apart from the notes, aspirants can also rely on the standard UPSC Books for more information on this particular topic.

Important Notes for UPSC
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First Round Table Conference	Proportional Representation
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