Jaishankar meets Guterres, launches India's UNSC 2028-29 campaign

Unitednations,UPDATED: Jul 14, 2026 11:08 IST

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in New York on Monday and discussed global developments, including West Asia, Ukraine and Sudan. After the meeting at the UN headquarters, Jaishankar told PTI, "Always good," when asked how it went.

Before meeting Guterres, Jaishankar launched India’s official campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2028-29 at an event attended by UN ambassadors, diplomats and officials. He said India’s approach to the UN is rooted in "SHANTI: Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity", and set out New Delhi’s priorities for the term.

Jaishankar, who arrived in New York over the weekend, met Guterres along with India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, and officials from India’s UN Mission. In a post on X, he said, "Glad to meet @antonioguterres, Secretary General of the UN in New York today. Discussed global developments, including of West Asia, Ukraine and Sudan. Also recognised the strength of India-UN cooperation." Elections for the 2028-29 term will be held in June next year, when India and Tajikistan will contest the sole seat in the Asia-Pacific Group category.

Explaining India’s campaign, Jaishankar said the world was facing a "profound paradox". "Never before has the world possessed such immense capabilities to advance human welfare at this scale. At the same time, we are witnessing levels of conflict, violence and instability that threaten even those who may be very far away. To address this complexity, the United Nations must take the lead and the Security Council must show the way. Elections to its membership, consequently, assume great importance," he said. He said India’s priorities would include being "a voice of Global South; advancing reformed multilateralism; a future-ready peacekeeping; addressing threats posed due to misuse of AI; securing maritime commons; countering terror financing". He added, "We are all aware that global governance has to reform in order to transform. For that to happen, multilateralism must be democratic, representative and effective," and said countries like India, with a long history of bridging differences and building consensus, could make their due contribution.

A special video screened at the event highlighted India’s growing role on the global stage and its priorities for the UNSC campaign. "For a world in disorder, one civilisation has always answered with a single word - Shanti (peace)," the video said, alongside visuals of conflict, natural disasters and India’s relief efforts. It also included Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s June 2023 remark to the US Congress that "this is not an era of war but it is one of dialogue and diplomacy". India last served on the 15-nation Security Council in 2021-22, its eighth tenure after terms in 1950-1951, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 1977-1978, 1984-1985, 1991-1992 and 2011-2012. With the campaign launched and the meeting with Guterres held, Jaishankar underlined India’s bid as centred on peace, reform and the concerns of the Global South.

With PTI Inputs

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