India on Wednesday (local time) secured a comfortable victory in the United Nations Security Council elections to join the powerful 15-nation body as a non-permanent member for the 2021-22 term.
With 184 votes out of the total 192 polled, India which won the UN non-permanent seat for the eighth time has emerged as the single-endorsed candidate from the Asian Pacific regional group, amid the larger push for the country to be made a permanent member of the five-nation apex grouping, currently comprising the US, UK, Russia, China, and France.
The elections for President of the 75th session of the General Assembly, five non-permanent members of the Security Council as well as members of the Economic and Social Council were held under special voting arrangements put in place at the UN headquarters due to COVID-19 related restrictions.
India, one of the founding members of the world body has been elected as a non-permanent member of the Council for 7 times during the years- 1950-1951, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 1977-1978, 1984-1985, 1991-1992 and most recently in 2011-2012.
The UNSC comprises 15 members including 10 non-permanent and 5 permanent members.
The 193-member UNSC holds elections every year to elect five non-permanent members for a two-year term at the UN.
Apart from this, there are five permanent members of the Council-China, France, Russia, UK and the US.
( With inputs from ANI )