External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar on Tuesday met United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York and discussed major global developments, including the conflicts in West Asia, Ukraine and Sudan, as India officially launched its campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the 2028–2029 term.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the launch of India’s UNSC bid at the UN Headquarters, marking the start of New Delhi’s diplomatic efforts to secure the backing of member states ahead of next year’s election.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said he had a productive meeting with Guterres, during which they reviewed key global issues and acknowledged the strong partnership between India and the United Nations.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar unveiled India’s UNSC campaign under the six-point SHANTI vision—Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity.
Addressing diplomats and UN representatives, he said India would serve as the voice of the Global South and highlighted its contributions to UN peacekeeping, support for developing countries and commitment to strengthening multilateral institutions.
The SHANTI framework focuses on strengthening the role of the Global South in global peace and security, reforming multilateral institutions to make them more representative and effective, modernising UN peacekeeping, promoting a human-centric approach to artificial intelligence, upholding a free and rules-based maritime order in line with international law, and intensifying efforts to combat terrorism and terror financing.
Jaishankar said India’s approach would be guided by dialogue, cooperation and consensus-building while pushing for reforms that reflect current global realities. He also reaffirmed India’s commitment to the Women, Peace and Security agenda and to ensuring peacekeeping missions remain focused on their core mandate.
India will contest the Asia-Pacific seat in next year’s UN General Assembly election for a non-permanent position on the Security Council for the 2028–2029 term. If successful, it will be India’s ninth tenure as an elected member of the 15-member Council. Alongside the campaign, India continues to press for a permanent seat on a reformed UNSC.
