India’s UNSC Non-Permanent membership : Expectations of Sri Lanka

Surprisingly among the five newly elected member countries, India has served the maximum of seven terms. Now, given the realities dependent on neighbours, India’s non-permanent membership at the UNSC is relatively more important for neighbouring small states such as Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Nearly a year ago being one of the nearest neighbours in the South Asian region, Sri Lanka endorsed India's candidature as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Also, two years directly prior to the non-permanent member UNSC effort, the southern Island  had supported India's bid for a permanent membership at  the UNSC (August, 2018, Hindu). With this background, India and Sri Lanka might have several advantages to forge closer ties in the coming years. 

UN, India - Sri Lanka Relations

Meanwhile, India being a regional superpower and slowly moving towards being a global power after getting elected  as non-permanent member of the powerful United Nations Security Council (UNSC) bring about political, economic and military stability in this region. Furthermore  India, is already pushing for deeper ties with its southern neighbour, Sri Lanka, under its “Neighbourhood First” foreign policy doctrine. Despite this progress made by India, the foreign policy of Sri Lanka with big nations like India and China is not very clear. Thereby, safeguarding the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka should be the prime priority of India. This will lead towards developing interdependency policies between the two nations. Building a realistic foreign policy can lead to stronger cooperation and enhance relations between India and Sri Lanka. However, there may be  potential stumbling blocks for effective bilateral relations... But one of the  most  diplomatically challenging situation Sri Lanka faced in these very recent years was the controversial US-backed United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) resolution for promoting reconciliation and accountability' in Sri Lanka. This resolution increasingly isolated Sri Lanka from its Western allies and ultimately led to a change in government in 2015. India was among the 24 countries that voted against Sri Lanka at that session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, however China  and Russia threw its weight behind Sri Lanka, at the UNSC.

Sri Lanka and the UNHCR

On 26^th February 2020, the Sri Lankan government formally notified the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNCHR) that it was withdrawing from the UN resolution adopted in 2015 calling for an investigation into alleged human rights violations during the island nation's civil war, which ended in 2009. At the 43rd session of UNHRC in Geneva Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena stated that the first Resolution 30/1 of October 2015, and the subsequent Resolution 34/1 of March 2017, have "eroded Sri Lankans' trust in the international system, and the credibility of Sri Lanka as a whole in the eyes of the international community”. However, the Human Right Council chief Michelle Bachelet expressed regret over Sri Lanka's decision to withdraw in 2015. Furthermore, opposing views claim that Sri Lanka cannot pull out of the resolution until 2021, as the island nation and 11 other countries co-sponsored the UNHRC resolution in 2015. On the other hand the international community must recognize that Sri Lanka needs time to investigate and implement a homegrown solution towards a lasting solution to the ethnic problem. Nonetheless, Russia, along with China, has left a lasting influence for protecting Sri Lanka at the UNSC. Currently, India has been enjoying strong and close ties with Sri Lanka. As a reassurance practice, India will have to adapt to new trends in the international order, allowing the island nation some breathing space to fully implement commitments it made on transitional justice and accountability issues, several years ago at the UNHRC. More specifically, international standing meant to safeguard southern neighbours' sovereignty rights, security and development interest may deepen long-term interest in India’s favor. 

Sino – India Diplomacy and Bandaranaike

For India and China, Sri Lanka has always been the topmost priority for one another, because of their geographical proximity. Moreover,  Sri Lanka wants to maintain good relations with both India and China. Looking back of the Sino-Indian war of 1962, Ceylon  Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike played a pivotal role in calming tensions between India and China. Mrs Bandaranaike was requested by both India and China to visit both countries with the proposals. India recognised the proposal but China accepted it on principle as the basis to commence negotiations. Even now, fifty years after Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s negotiations with India and China are of particular relevance in the present context, where the India-China standoff at Galwan valley requires third party diplomatic channelling like those days.

Looking at the regional foreign policy scenario, there is no doubt that the contribution of India’s non-permanent seats at the UNSC will be beneficial for Sri Lanka. It is clear that there is a chance for India to engage more proactively with Sri Lanka. Definitely, the current foreign policy approach are strong indicating signs of an inclination towards India in the near future. 

Pic Courtesy-Srimal Fernando

(Srimal Fernando is a Doctoral Fellow at Jindal School of International Affairs (JSIA), India and Advisor / Global Editor of Diplomatic Society for South Africa. He is the winner of the 2018/2019 ‘Best Journalist of the Year’ award in South Africa, and has been the recipient of GCA Media Award for 2016.In the field of politics, and Policy affairs, Fernando is a specialist, with over ten years of first hand experience in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.The views expressed are personal)