India Calls For Urgent UN Reform, Urges Agency To Adapt To New Faces of Terror And Conflict
/ Jul 23, 2025, 11:33AM IST
In a stirring speech at the United Nations, India's Permanent Representative, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, laid out a powerful vision for peace, equity, and global cooperation. As the UN turns 80, Harish emphasized the urgent need to reform the UN Security Council, adapt to new-age conflicts, and uphold true multilateralism. He highlighted how India, the largest cumulative contributor to UN Peacekeeping, has always led with action, from decolonization to climate resilience and humanitarian relief. Warning against outdated frameworks in a world now rife with state-sponsored terrorism, non-state actors, and digital radicalism, Harish called for time-bound action on the 'Pact for the Future.' India's global leadership in women-led peacekeeping, fair trade, and development was showcased as a template for the future. This video breaks down what India told the world, and why it matters now more than ever.#india #unitednations #unsc #terrorism #indiaun #unreform #multilateralism #peacekeeping #pactforthefuture #parvathaneniharish #globalgovernance #unscreform #indialeader #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
14 minutes ago
- India.com
War Must End: Macron Drops Diplomatic Bombshell, France To Recognise Palestine
Paris: A shift in European diplomacy is taking shape. French President Emmanuel Macron has declared that France will officially recognise Palestine as a sovereign state. He says will make an announcement in this regard at the United Nations General Assembly in September. In a message shared on his official social X handle, Macron laid out the urgency. 'The war in Gaza must stop. The civilian population must be protected. There must be an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and a massive humanitarian aid effort for the people of Gaza,' he said. His statement further read, 'Hamas must be demilitarised, Gaza secured and rebuilt. We must finally build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability and, by accepting its demilitarisation and full recognition of Israel, allow it to contribute to the security of all in the region.' There is no alternative. The French people want peace in the Middle East. It is up to us, French, Israelis, Palestinians and our European and international partners, to show that it is possible.' With visible emotion, he said the decision is rooted in France's long-standing values. 'Peace is possible. And France, true to its historic role, will take this step in support of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,' he posts. Fidèle à son engagement historique pour une paix juste et durable au Proche-Orient, j'ai décidé que la France reconnaîtra l'État de Palestine. J'en ferai l'annonce solennelle à l'Assemblée générale des Nations unies, au mois de septembre prochain.… — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 24, 2025 Sources familiar with the discussions say Macron's government has been deliberating this recognition for months, but the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and the global outrage it has sparked compelled him to act now. For Palestinians, the announcement hit like a thunderclap. Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the Palestinian Authority, received a formal letter from Macron outlining France's intent. The response came swiftly through his top official Hussein al-Sheikh, who welcomed the move as 'a reaffirmation of France's faith in international law and the rights of our people to self-determination'. He said the recognition would strengthen efforts to establish a sovereign Palestinian state. Observers see this as the most significant diplomatic endorsement for Palestinian statehood in years. Over 130 countries, primarily across Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Arab world, have already recognised Palestine. But France's entry into this camp carries outsized weight. It is the first G7 member and the most powerful European Union (EU) country to openly align itself with the Palestinian cause in this way. Inside Israel, Macron's decision has not gone down well. Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Yariv Levin issued a condemnation, branding the recognition 'a stain on France's history'. He went even further, warning that it emboldens what he called 'terrorism' and urging Israel to move toward annexation of the West Bank. The timing of the French move appears significant. Just days earlier, the United States abruptly walked away from ceasefire negotiations in Qatar, blaming Hamas for stonewalling. Macron's recognition announcement also lands amid accusations that Israel is restricting humanitarian aid to Gaza and allowing Palestinians to die while scrambling for food. France itself stands at a sensitive crossroads. With the largest Jewish and Muslim populations in Western Europe, the country often finds itself caught in the domestic crosswinds of any Middle East conflict. Macron's administration is bracing for backlash at home, but believes the moral and diplomatic weight of the move is worth the cost. At the United Nations, Macron's foreign minister is set to co-chair a high-stakes conference next week to revive the two-state solution, a framework that has floundered in recent years. The French president has made it clear that recognition of Palestine will not come at the expense of Israel's security. But he insists that lasting peace cannot be achieved while the Palestinian question remains unresolved. The territories at the centre of this recognition, Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, were captured by Israel in the 1967 war. East Jerusalem was annexed soon after, while sprawling settlements took root across the West Bank. Over half a million Israeli settlers now live there, alongside about three million Palestinians under varying degrees of military control. The Palestinian Authority holds limited autonomy in parts of the West Bank, but sovereignty has remained elusive. Macron's announcement has jolted a stagnant diplomatic scene and revived momentum for the two-state vision. With France stepping forward, attention now turns to how other Western powers respond and whether they, too, will follow suit.
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
Now, India says in UNSC Gaza ceasefire must be put in place
NEW DELHI: A ceasefire must be put in place in Gaza and all hostages released, said India participating in an open debate in the UNSC on the Middle East situation, including the Palestinian question. Indian ambassador P Harish reiterated that the pathway to enduring peace is rooted in a two-State solution - one that establishes a sovereign, viable and independent State of Palestine within recognised and mutually agreed borders, living side by side with Israel in peace. "The way ahead is clear, and India has been consistent in this regard. The ongoing human suffering must not be allowed to continue. Humanitarian assistance needs to be facilitated in a safe, sustained and timely manner. There is no substitute to peace. A ceasefire must be put in place. All hostages must be released," said Harish, adding that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable paths to achieving these objectives and that there are no other fixes or solutions. India had earlier this year abstained from voting on a UNGA resolution for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, even though it had underlined the significance of truce in its remarks. "India shares historic and strong ties with our Palestinian brothers and sisters. We have always stood by them and our commitment towards the Palestinian cause is unwavering," said Harish.
Mint
44 minutes ago
- Mint
France to recognise Palestinian State at UN in September; President Macron says ‘there is no alternative'
In a major geopolitical development, French President Emmanuel Macron has declared that France will formally recognise the State of Palestine at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September. The announcement, made on Thursday evening via a post on X (formerly Twitter), positions France to become the first major Western power to take such a step, despite mounting international tensions and objections from key allies. In his message, Macron affirmed: 'True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the State of Palestine. I will make this solemn announcement at the United Nations general assembly next September.' The French president also shared a letter addressed to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, confirming his decision and outlining the broader intentions behind the move. Macron emphasised that his aim was to revive the two-state solution and bolster peace in a region increasingly consumed by violence and humanitarian catastrophe. Macron stressed the urgent need to end the ongoing conflict in Gaza, saying: 'The urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and rescue the civilian population. We must finally build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability and enable it, by accepting its demilitarisation and fully recognising Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East.' The decision comes amid rising humanitarian concerns. Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), revealed that some frontline aid workers in Gaza are "fainting from hunger", underscoring the escalating crisis. With truce talks between Israel and Hamas stalled and starvation spreading, pressure on the international community to act has grown considerably. The move has sparked fierce condemnation from Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced France's decision, warning: 'France's decision rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became — a launch pad to annihilate Israel, not to live in peace beside it. Let's be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel.' The United States, too, is expected to voice disapproval. A leaked diplomatic cable from June revealed that Washington opposed any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. France's decision may further strain transatlantic relations as the Biden administration continues to support Israel's security concerns. French resident Macron's decision follows months of internal deliberation within the French government. Officials had initially planned to announce the move during a high-level UN conference co-hosted with Saudi Arabia in June. However, that summit was postponed due to the brief Israel-Iran air war and closed regional airspace. The conference has since been rescheduled as a ministerial event for 28–29 July in New York, with a second, more senior meeting planned on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September. French diplomats say Macron's early announcement is meant to provide a clear diplomatic framework for upcoming talks with the nearly 40 foreign ministers attending next week's event. Despite resistance from allies including the UK and Canada, France has remained resolute. Macron's team is hopeful that the move will encourage other hesitant nations to follow suit and reignite momentum behind the two-state solution. The Palestinian Authority welcomed France's announcement warmly. Hussein al-Sheikh, vice-president of the Palestinian Authority, wrote on X: 'Macron's decision reflects France's commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people's rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state.' Saudi Arabia praised the announcement as a 'historic' step. The Saudi foreign ministry stated: 'The kingdom praises this historic decision, which reaffirms the international community's consensus on the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state.' Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, whose country recognised Palestinian statehood earlier in 2024, also welcomed Macron's move. In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced he would speak with German and French leaders on Friday about joint efforts to halt the violence in Gaza. He added that a ceasefire would 'put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state.' Other European nations including Ireland, Norway, Slovenia, and Spain have already recognised Palestinian statehood in recent months as the humanitarian toll in Gaza grows and international outrage mounts.
