India To Kick Off Campaign For 2028–29 UN Security Council Seat In Third Week Of July

India will formally launch its campaign for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2028–29 term later this month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Saturday.Addressing a media briefing, the MEA said the campaign will be officially launched during the third week of July.As part of the campaign, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will travel to New York on July 13, 2026, where he will formally kick off India's bid for the coveted seat.The campaign marks India's effort to secure election as a non-permanent member of the 15-member UN Security Council for the 2028–29 tenure. Elections for non-permanent seats are held in the UN General Assembly, where member states vote to elect countries.The

upcoming campaign is expected to highlight India's growing global role, its commitment to multilateralism, and its longstanding call for reforms of the UN Security Council to make it more representative and reflective of contemporary geopolitical realities.The formal launch by Jaishankar in New York is expected to mark the beginning of India's diplomatic outreach to secure the support of UN member states ahead of the election for the 2028–29 term.India has previously served as a non-permanent member of the Security Council on multiple occasions, most recently for the 2021–22 term. During that tenure, New Delhi focused on issues including counter-terrorism, maritime security, peacekeeping reforms and equitable access to technology.

India Served As Non-Permanent Member 8 Times

India has served as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) eight times in past.India's previous terms were:

• 1950–1951
• 1967–1968
• 1972–1973
• 1977–1978
• 1984–1985
• 1991–1992
• 2011–2012
• 2021–2022

India is now seeking election to the UNSC for the 2028–2029 term, with the formal launch of its campaign scheduled for July 2026.

UNSC 15 Member States

The Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has 15 members, and each member has one vote. Under the Charter of the United Nations, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions.The UNSC consists of 15 member states:Permanent Members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Each holds veto power, meaning a single "no" vote can block any substantive resolution.Non-Permanent Members: Ten countries elected by the UN General Assembly to serve overlapping two-year terms.

How Are Non-Permanent Members Elected

Non-permanent members are elected for a two-year term and elections for the seats are held every year for five seats. To be elected, a candidate country must secure a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting in the General Assembly. If all 193 UN member states vote, a candidate needs at least 129 votes.If no candidate achieves the required two-thirds majority in the first round, additional rounds of voting are held until a candidate secures the necessary support.Seats are allocated according to regional groups to ensure equitable geographical representation.