Page 2 - United Nations

Austria, Portugal among 5 nations elected to UNSC; Germany suffers setback

Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe were elected as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for the 2027-28, with India saying it looks forward to working closely with them during their two-year tenure. In a closely watched and contested election on Wednesday, the 193-member UN General Assembly elected the five new non-permanent members who will replace Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia when their terms conclude at the end of 2026. India congratulated the newly elected members. "Hearty congratulations to the newly elected @UN Security Council members," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni said in a post on X. "We look forward to working closely with each of you during your 2027-28 term and wish you all success," he added. The five new non-permanent UNSC members were elected by secret ballot for the two-year term beginning January 1, 2027, and ending December 31, 2028. In a major setback for ..

Over 550 Indian peacekeepers in South Sudan awarded UN Medal of Honour

Over 550 Indian peacekeepers, including 53 women, serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) were honoured for their dedication and commitment to protecting civilians and supporting peacebuilding efforts in the conflict-affected country. A total of 565 Indian Blue Helmets and 464 Rwandan peacekeepers received the UN Medal of Honour at a ceremony in South Sudan's Malakal city, UNMISS said on Monday. There were 53 women among the 565 Indian Blue Helmets, it said. Blue Helmets refers to military personnel, police officers, and civilian experts serving under the operational command of the United Nations peacekeeping forces. The peacekeepers were recognised for their efforts in "protecting civilians through patrols, community engagement, veterinary camps, women's self-defence training, combating gender violence, and improving humanitarian access", the UN body said. UN Mission in South Sudan Force Commander Major-General Junhui Wu said every medal awarded celebrates the "courag

UN adds Israeli, Russian forces to blacklist for sexual violence cases

An annual United Nations report documenting sexual violence in conflicts worldwide has included Israeli forces for the first time since the review began more than 15 years ago for their treatment of Palestinian detainees. Israel denies the accusations. The 35-page report -- shared by the Israeli mission to the UN late on Thursday ahead of its expected release on Friday -- blacklists 77 government and non-government parties in a dozen countries suspected of committing or being responsible for sexual violence in conflicts around the world. It says the number of cases rose sharply in 2025 from 2024. Russian armed and security forces were also blacklisted for the first time this year for sexual violence against prisoners of war and civilians detained during the war in Ukraine. The list for 2025 includes Israel's armed and security forces as well as Hamas militants, who were previously blacklisted after their attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in Gaza. Both Israe

2 Indian peacekeepers to be honoured posthumously on Int'l Peacekeepers Day

Two Indian peacekeepers will be honoured posthumously by the United Nations for their ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. Lance Havildar Harbhajan Singh, who served with the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), and Naib Subedar Sujit Kumar Pradhan, who was deployed with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), will be posthumously honoured by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres with the prestigious Dag Hammarskjold Medal for their sacrifice in the line of duty. Additionally, Guterres will present the 2025 Military Gender Advocate of the Year award to Major Abhilasha Barak of India, who serves on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), honouring her outreach efforts with women and girls during her deployment in the West Asian nation. The world commemorates the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers annually on May 29, paying homage to the fallen Blue Helmets wh

Worsening climate change main culprit behind India's extreme heat: UN

The ongoing extreme heat across large parts of India is primarily driven by worsening climate change caused by the massive burning of coal, oil, and gas, UN climate chief Simon Stiell said on Wednesday. He also highlighted the severe human and economic impact of the heatwave, particularly on people living in homes without cooling facilities and those working long hours outdoors. "These extremes drive home the importance of measures to adapt to climate impacts, globally," said Stiell, the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in a statement. His remarks came as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday said heatwave to severe heatwave conditions were likely to persist over central and northwest India for the next two to three days. The soaring temperatures have also led to a record-breaking power demand across the country. Peak power demand touched 257.3 GW on May 18, 260.4 GW on May 19, 265 GW on May 20, and a record

Pak will have to face consequences for cross-border terrorism: India at UN

Pakistan will have to accept that there are "consequences" to its sponsorship of cross-border terrorism, India told a UN meeting, underscoring that it has "every right" to defend itself from such terror attacks perpetrated by its neighbour. "I am compelled to respond to baseless and unwarranted remarks made by Pakistan today. India would like to set the facts straight," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni said at a UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday. "Independent India began its life battling with cross-border aggression by Pakistan, which coveted Indian territories that had become a part of India as a result of their complete, legal and irrevocable accession," Parvathaneni said. Parvathaneni's strong response against Pakistan came during the Security Council debate on 'Upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and strengthening the UN-centred international system', chaired by China, under its presidency of the 15-nation UN bod

India abstains on UNGA climate vote, cites concerns over treaty framework

India abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution calling on countries to comply with their obligations on climate change, voicing concern that the draft "undermines" the "sacrosanct architecture" of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The resolution was adopted in the 193-member General Assembly on Wednesday with 141 votes in favour, eight against and 28 abstentions, including by India. India said it had engaged constructively during negotiations on the resolution and clarified its concerns and positions at every stage. "We are therefore disappointed that our concerns were not addressed, despite our best efforts to find common ground," it said. In the Explanation of Vote, First Secretary in India's Permanent Mission to the UN, Petal Gahlot, said adoption of the resolution by the General Assembly does not create binding commitments for India. "Our obligations arise only from outcomes adopted under the UNFCCC process. Hence, in line with our sta

At UN, India flags concerns over targeting of commercial ships in Hormuz

Targeting commercial shipping, endangering civilian crew and impeding freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is "unacceptable", India's Permanent Representative to the UN Parvathaneni Harish has said, stressing that international law governing safe passage must be "fully respected". Harish's remarks at a special meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNECOSOC) on safeguarding energy and supply flows came days after an India-flagged commercial vessel came under attack off the coast of Oman. Omani authorities rescued all 14 crew members of the vessel sailing from Somalia, but it was not immediately known who carried out the strike. In a post on X, Harish said that at the UNECOSOC meeting, he shared India's approach to the recent energy and fertiliser crisis caused by the West Asia conflict. "A combination of short-term and structural measures alongside international cooperation are essential to respond to the crisis," he said. "Reiterated that targeting of

India adopts 'holistic' approach to migration governance: Minister at UN

India has adopted a "holistic approach" to migration governance that places the welfare, protection and empowerment of emigrants at its core, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh has said. Addressing a special event organised by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN on Thursday on the margins of the second International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), Singh highlighted India's "pioneering" digital initiative aimed at facilitating mobility and protection of its migrants. "The Indian migration story is both vast and dynamic. We have a diaspora of over 34 million people spread all across the globe, encompassing more than 200 countries, and our global community has served to connect economies, cultures and ideas through many centuries," he said. Singh said the contribution of the Indian diaspora through remittances, investments and knowledge exchange continues to play a vital role not only in India's development but also in the countries they've integrated ...

India tops global remittances with over $137 billion inflows in 2024: UN

India received more than 137 billion dollars in remittances in 2024, the top remittance recipient country in the world and the only nation to surpass 100 billion dollars, the UN agency on migration said. "India consistently leads as the top recipient of remittances, followed by Mexico," the World Migration Report 2026, released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday, said. In 2024, India, Mexico, the Philippines and France were the top four remittance recipient countries globally. "India, however, continued to be well above the rest, receiving more than USD 137 billion, and remained the only country to surpass USD 100 billion," the report said. Since 2010, India has been the top remittance receiving country in the world, when it had received 53.48 billion dollars, which grew over the years to 68.91 billion dollars in 2015, 83.15 billion dollars in 2020 and 137.67 billion dollars in 2024. The report said that the distribution of remittances varies across .

'No tolls, no discrimination': UN chief appeals to parties to open Hormuz

United Nations General Secretary Antonio Guterres on Monday called for the immediate restoration of free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that uninterrupted maritime movement is critical for global trade and economic stability amid rising tensions in the Gulf region.In a statement, Guterres said, "Navigational rights & freedoms through the Strait of Hormuz must be respected. I appeal to the parties: Open the Strait. Let ships pass. No tolls. No discrimination. Let trade resume. Let the global economy breathe. Safe, unimpeded passage is an economic & humanitarian imperative."Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly criticised Iran's reported attempts to regulate or monetise vessel movement through the strategic waterway. In an interview with Fox News, Rubio warned that such measures would not be accepted by the United States and would amount to asserting control over an international passage."If what they mean by opening the Straits is 'Yes, ..

India submits revised targets for 2031-35 to UN's climate change body

India has submitted its revised climate targets for 2031-2035 to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), committing to attain at least 47 per cent reduction in the emission intensity of its GDP (emission per unit of GDP) from the 2005 baseline by 2035. The development comes after the Cabinet in March approved the nationally determined contributions (NDC) -- the non-binding, voluntary climate action plans that every country is obligated to decide upon and implement under the 2015 Paris Agreement. In the document submitted to the UNFCCC on Friday, India also committed to "achieve about 60 pc cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2035 with the help of transfer of technology and low-cost international finance". It promised to "create a carbon sink of 3.5 to 4.0 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2035 as compared to the baseline year of 2005" as well. Note that this is India's third NDC,

India backs multilateralism, seeks Global South representation at UN

India emphasised that the current structure of the Security Council does not adequately represent developing nations, particularly in its permanent membership

Race for next UN chief intensifies with first round of interviews

The candidates, Rafael Mariano Grossi, Michelle Bachelet, Rebeca Grynspan and Macky Sall flag waning trust in the UN, warning the global order faces strain and institution's future is under question

Iran urges UN to press US to release seized commercial vessel Touska

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeed Iravani raised 'urgent concern' over the 'deliberate' targeting of Iranian commercial ships

India's economy projected to grow at 6.4% in 2026, 6.6% in 2027: UN report

India's economy is projected to grow at 6.4 per cent this year and 6.6 per cent in 2027, according to a report by the United Nations. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) said in the report released Monday that economies in South and South-West Asia grew by 5.4% in 2025, compared to 5.2% in 2024, driven largely by strong growth in India. India's growth edged up to 7.4% in 2025, "supported by robust consumption, especially from the rural economy along with goods and services tax rate cuts, and export frontloading ahead of the United States' tariffs," the report, titled Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2026, said. It said in India, economic activities moderated in the second half of 2025 as exports to the United States declined by 25 per cent following the introduction of 50 per cent tariffs in August 2025. The services sector remained a key growth driver. The report projected India to register a 6.4 per cent growth rate

India, UN officials discuss peacekeeping cooperation during meeting

Issues related to United Nations peacekeeping were among the key topics discussed during a meeting between senior Indian and UN officials here, the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations said on Tuesday. The meeting was held between Sibi George, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations. Gorge and Khiari held a "productive discussion on various topics, with particular focus on UN peacekeeping", the mission said in a social media post. According to the UN India website, India is one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions. More than 275,000 Indian troops have served under the UN flag since 1948.

India condemns attack on French UN Peacekeepers, seeks accountability

India on Saturday issued a stern condemnation following a deadly attack on French UN Peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).The official statement, released by the Ministry of External Affairs, underscored India's long-standing role as a leading contributor to global peacekeeping and its commitment to the safety of those serving under the Blue Helmet.In a press statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, "We strongly condemn the attack that took place today on French UN Peacekeepers deployed in UNIFIL. We pay our homage to the fallen Blue Helmet and wish a speedy recovery to the three other peacekeepers who were injured."The UNIFIL, in a statement issued on its telegram channel, said that on Saturday morning, a UNIFIL patrol clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah to re-establish links with isolated UNIFIL positions came under small-arms fire from non-state actors."Tragically, one peacekeeper succumbed to his

India calls for early restoration of freedom of navigation through Hormuz

India termed the targeting of commercial shipping during the West Asia conflict as deplorable, strongly urging that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global commerce through the Strait of Hormuz be restored at the earliest. "An aspect of particular concern for India for its energy and economic security relates to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni said in the UN General Assembly on Thursday. "India has deplored the fact that commercial shipping was made a target of military attacks in this conflict," Parvathaneni said. India reiterated that the targeting of commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding the freedom of navigation and commerce in the Strait of Hormuz, are unacceptable. Underscoring that international law in this regard must be fully respected, Parvathaneni said India strongly urges that safe and unimpeded freedom of navigation and glo

IAEA chief calls for strict nuclear checks in any US-Iran deal to end war

The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog said Wednesday that "very detailed" measures to verify Iran's nuclear activities must be included in a potential US-Iran agreement to end their war in the Middle East. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi stressed the need for the thorough verification regime for Iran's nuclear programme, as US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a second round of talks with Iran could happen over the next two days. The Trump administration has said that preventing Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon is a key war aim. Iran has previously said it isn't developing such weapons but rejected limits on its nuclear programme. Last weekend in Pakistan, an initial round of talks between the two countries failed to produce an agreement. The White House said Iran's nuclear ambitions were a central sticking point. But an Iranian diplomatic official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the closed-door