Category: United Nations

In the last two days, Russia launched a drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian port of Odesa, while a bridge connecting the Russian mainland to the occupied territory of Crimea was partially destroyed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the high-level annual meeting of the UN General Assembly in September, according to the roster of speakers released by the office of the Assembly president.

India's Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj, who gave her the cheque last Friday, said in a statement that New Delhi "will continue to promote the use of the Hindi language in the United Nations".

Syria has unilaterally broken a Security Council stalemate by agreeing to allow the UN to use a contentious border-crossing to provide aid to rebel-held areas of the country on the terms of a Russian resolution that failed.

UN Security Council President Barbara Woodward has said that the pace of the Council reform process has been “very frustrating” and that her country backs moving on to text-based negotiations.

For the 25th time, the UN General Assembly has pushed the negotiations for the Security Council reforms to its next session and India has warned it go on for 75 more years without first reforming the negotiating process.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has removed India from the list of countries that need attention over the impact of armed conflicts on children following steps taken by the nation to mitigate the situation.

The UN General Assembly has called for the adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism that was proposed by India and has been languishing for more than a quarter of a century.

For example, Indian-American yoga teacher Bikram Choudhury had sued an organisation that he claimed had violated his copyright on yoga practices. But the US federal courts threw out his case.

A mosaic of races and nationalities covered the green of the UN lawn speckled with yellow yoga mats. As one, they went through an array of simple yoga exercises focused on breathing and relaxation.

"When it comes to combatting terrorism, we must stand as one against this global threat," he said on Monday at the High-Level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies that is at the core of week-long programmes.

There is great enthusiasm among diplomats from around the world and UN officials for the International Day of Yoga celebrations to be led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, according to India's Permanent Representative to UN, Ruchira Kamboj.

UN General Assembly President Csaba Korosi is looking forward to celebrating the 9th International Day of Yoga with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the world body's headquarters in New York on June 21 as the latter will begin his visit to the US.

India's Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj has offered Pakistan the "utmost sympathy" for what she described as its mindset of ignorance and inability to comprehend the culture of peace.

India's Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj said on Wednesday that India was deeply concerned over "the growing increase in attacks on religious places, including churches, gurdwaras, monasteries, mosques, temples, synagogues and other religious sites".

The world organisation's members have unanimously backed India's efforts to honour with a monument the more than 4,300 Blue Helmets who made the supreme sacrifice in the cause of peace.

India has been concerned about what it has described as the exclusion of non-Abrahamic religions in formal statements and resolutions at the UN about bigotry and anti-religious violence.

"The evolving US proposal, which is expected to include the addition of up to six permanent seats to the Council without granting those nations veto power," The Washington Post reported on Monday.

The meeting of top security officials of India, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and the US is a partnership to "buttress the multilateral system" and "do good in the region," according to Security Council President Lana Nusseibeh.

The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution to renew for a year, till May 31, 2024, arms embargo measures against South Sudan as well as targeted sanctions of travel ban and asset freeze against individuals and entities.

Border Security Force Head Constables Shishupal Singh and Samwala Ram Vishnoi were killed in July 2022 while with the peacekeeping operation known by its French initials as MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The UN said on Tuesday that "with many positives", India's economic growth this year is expected to hold at 5.8 per cent, affirming a series of international organisations' projections that the country will be the fastest-growing major economy.

A UN Security Council (UNSC) that denies permanent membership to the world's largest democracy cannot be considered inclusive and the first step to "future-proof" the world organisation would be to reform the Security Council, according to India.

Pressing its case for reforming the UN Security Council, India has said that either the veto rights should be abolished or be given also to new permanent members in a reformed Council.

Perpetuating a UN Security Council built on an "anachronistic mindset" will also mean the continuing loss of faith in the world organisation, India has said as resounding calls from all sides for reform echoed in its chamber.