Russian President, Putin to Participate in UNSC Meeting

Vladimir Putin will participate in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting to be chaired by Indian PM, Narendra Modi today.

The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin will take part in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting that will be chaired by Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi today, Monday, August 9th. The meeting will be centered on Maritime Security and begins at 5:30 pm IST today. This is happening at a time when India is the President of the council and will be deciding the agenda of the high table.

The participation of the Russian president shows Moscow’s backing to the India-led initiative and the close relationship between both countries. Russia is a permanent member of the council — P5 and has been coordinating with New Delhi since it took a seat at the high table.

India on the other hand, is a non-permanent member of the UNSC for a two-year term which started on January 01, 2021. Narendra Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to preside over a UN Security Council Open Debate. The meeting will see several Heads of State and Government participating, including the President of Congo.

Also, the meeting will focus on finding ways to counter maritime crime, insecurity and strengthening coordination in the maritime domain. In the past, India has been coming out with policies on the issue. In 2015, India put forth the vision of ‘Security and Growth for all in the Region’ (SAGAR). At the East Asia Summit in 2019, India announced Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI) in which countries such as France and Australia have also joined.

IPOI has seven pillars of maritime security which are Maritime Ecology, Maritime Resources, Capacity Building, and Resource Sharing, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation and Trade Connectivity, and Maritime Transport.