India secured key seats in various bodies of the United Nations, which included a significant re-election of its nominee Jagjit Pavadia for a third term to the International Narcotics Control Board after garnering the highest number of votes.
Pavadia's third term will be for a period of five years from March 2025-2030.
Other key bodies New Delhi was elected by acclamation include the Commission on the Status of Women for the term 2025-2029; executive board of the United Nations Children's Fund for the term 2025-2027; executive board of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Office for Project Services for 2025-2027.
India also secured enough votes to secure a seat on the executive boards of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women for the 2025-2027 term along with the World Food Programme for the 2025-2027 term.
"India remains steadfast in its commitment to actively engage in the discourse within these UN bodies, upholding the principle of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' "the world is one family," India's permanent representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said in a post on X.
Kamboj further said this guiding philosophy "underscores our dedication to contributing constructively and collaboratively to global deliberations, fostering a spirit of unity and shared responsibility for the betterment of all." The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) had vacancies in 17 of its subsidiary bodies and these were filled through election by acclamation, secret ballot and nomination on Tuesday.
"Today, a significant triumph for India at the UN, clinching a prestigious re-election to the International Narcotics Control Board for 2025-2030 and earning seats across several key UN bodies," the Permanent Mission of India to the UN said on X.
"India will continue, as always, to actively contribute towards deliberations in these bodies in keeping with our overall philosophy of "Vasudaiva Kutumbakam'," the Indian Mission said.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar also said in a post on X that Pavadia, India's nominee, has been re-elected to the International Narcotics Control Board at elections held in New York, for the term 2025-2030.
The minister noted that the country secured the highest number of votes amongst all elected member states to the Board. "Good work," he said, lauding the Permanent Mission of India to the UN and the team at the Ministry of External Affairs.
New Delhi received 41 votes out of the 53 voting members of the ECOSOC, which was the highest amongst all winning member states. With 41 votes, Pavadia secured a convincing win in the tough election with the candidate coming in second garnering 30 votes.
The election was highly competitive given that there were 24 candidates for five seats.
"The Permanent Mission of India thanks all the member states for their valuable support and the trust they have placed on India's nominee," the mission said in a press release.
Pavadia, who has been a member of the International Narcotics Control Board since 2015, was re-elected for a five-year term from 2020 to 2025 in May 2019. She had also served as the President of the Board in 2021-2022.
Born in 1954, Pavadia has held several senior positions in the Indian Revenue Service for 35 years in the Government of India, including Narcotics Commissioner of India, Central Bureau of Narcotics (2006-2012); Commissioner, Legal Affairs (2001-2005) and Chief Vigilance Officer, Power Finance Corporation (1996-2001) among others.
Established in 1968, the INCB is the independent and quasi-judicial monitoring body for the implementation of the United Nations international drug control conventions.
It consists of 13 members who are elected by the Economic and Social Council and who serve in their personal capacity, not as government representatives. Three members with medical, pharmacological or pharmaceutical experience are elected from a list of persons nominated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and 10 members are elected from a list of persons nominated by Governments.
According to information about its mandate on its website, INCB endeavours, in cooperation with Governments, to ensure that adequate supplies of drugs are available for medical and scientific uses and that the diversion of drugs from licit sources to illicit channels does not occur.
INCB also monitors Governments' control over chemicals used in the illicit manufacture of drugs and assists them in preventing the diversion of those chemicals into illicit traffic, it said.
The 54-member ECOSOC is one of the six main organs of the United Nations and deals with economic, social, cultural and health matters as well as human rights and fundamental freedoms.
With inputs from PTI
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