Last month, Russia once again endorsed India for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), during the virtual trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of the RIC grouping comprising Russia, India and China.

Notably, the C in RIC, that is China, is the only permanent member of the UNSC, which is against India’s inclusion into the Council.

To kick-start the meeting, Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar said, “The UN began with 50 members, today it has 193. Surely, its decision-making cannot continue to be in denial of this fact. We, the RIC countries, have been active participants in shaping the global agenda. It is India’s hope that we will also now converge on the value of reformed multilateralism.”

As it stands, UNSC has 15 members, including five permanent members — the US, the UK, France, Russia and China. Also, half of the 10 non-permanent members are elected every year for a two-year term, starting on January 1.

And India was elected as a non-permanent member in June, following an overwhelming vote. It will be India’s eighth two-year term.

Defence relations

Meanwhile, Russia has also agreed to expedite some urgent defence requirements of India, during recent discussions with the Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. These include AK-203 assault rifles and Ka-226T light utility helicopters. Singh was on a four-day visit to Moscow from June 21, for the 75th anniversary of the Victory Day Parade.

This urgent request has come from the Indian side amid growing tensions with China along the Line of Actual Control, which has been massive defence force mobilisation from both sides recently.

– TIN Bureau