India outlines UN Security Council bid priorities

India has identified maritime security and Artificial Intelligence (AI) as core priorities in its bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2028-29 term. Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni stated that technology should be used to strengthen human security and make shared maritime areas safer rather than becoming a source of conflict.

At the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Atlanta, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized that diplomacy, rather than military solutions, must be used to resolve global challenges. He highlighted the disproportionate impact of attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers on the Global South and called for the protection of freedom of navigation under international law.

In discussions regarding the UN Human Rights Council, Indian representatives called for even-handedness and warned against the politicization or weaponization of human rights. India also urged sustained attention to the threat of terrorism, describing it as one of the gravest threats to the right to life. Additionally, India advocated for increased gender parity in political leadership and armed forces to support the Women, Peace and Security agenda.