UPSC CSE GS-2 | MASTER NOTES SERIES

ROLE OF VARIOUS ORGANS OF THE UNO

UNGA | UNSC | Secretariat | ICJ | ECOSOC | Trusteeship Council + Specialised Agencies

Organ-wise Deep Dive | India's Role | Current Affairs 2024–25 | PYQ-

Mapped
Charter Articles | Failures & Reforms | UNSC Veto | ICJ Cases | Specialised Agencies

GS Paper Marks Sub-topic Current CA By

GS-2 (IR) 15–25 6 Gaza/Ukraine/ Diptanu
Organs+Agencies Summit
SECTION 1 — CORE CONTEXT

1.1 Introduction
The United Nations Organisation, founded on 24 October 1945, operates through six principal organs
— each with distinct mandates, composition, and powers — forming a comprehensive institutional
architecture for global governance. Understanding these organs is not merely an academic exercise:
India's foreign policy objectives — UNSC permanent membership, UNGA-led 'Voice of Global South',
ICJ-based dispute resolution, and UN development agency partnerships — are all channelled through
these very bodies. The organs collectively represent humanity's best — and most contested —
experiment in multilateral governance.

1.2 The Six Principal Organs — Quick Scan

# ORGAN CHARTER ONE-LINE FUNCTION
BASIS
1 General Arts. 9–22 Universal legislature; 193 members; one nation one vote;
Assembly non-binding resolutions
(UNGA)
2 Security Council Arts. 23–54 Primary peace & security; 15 members; P5 veto; Chapter
(UNSC) VII binding decisions
3 International Arts. 92–96 Principal judicial organ; 15 judges; contentious cases +
Court of Justice advisory opinions
(ICJ)
4 Secretariat Arts. 97–101 Administrative backbone; SG as CEO + conscience; policy
coordination
5 ECOSOC Arts. 61–72 Economic, social, humanitarian coordination; 54 members;
SDG monitoring
6 Trusteeship Arts. 86–91 Trust territory supervision; SUSPENDED since 1994
Council (Palau's independence)

1.3 India & UN Organs — Relationship at a Glance

ORGAN INDIA'S ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY
UNGA Founding member; 'Voice of Global South' leadership; UNGA President
(Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, 1953 — first woman); strong voting record
UNSC 8 times elected non-permanent member (last 2021–22); G4 permanent seat
bid; PKO leadership; counter-terrorism advocacy
ICJ Participated in ICJ cases (Kulbhushan Jadhav v. Pakistan 2019 — won); India
has fielded ICJ judges (Dalveer Bhandari, current member)
Secretariat Several senior Indian UN officials; Shashi Tharoor ran for SG (2006); India
supports strong SG independence
ECOSOC India elected multiple times; active on SDG financing, development, women's
empowerment issues
Trusteeship Council Suspended; India's position was always anti-colonial; Jawaharlal Nehru's role
in decolonisation via UN
SECTION 2 — GENERAL ASSEMBLY (UNGA)

🔑 Topper Tag: 'The world's parliament' — but without legislative power; moral
authority through universality

2.1 Composition & Structure

• All 193 UN member states; one nation one vote — sovereign equality (Art.2(1)).
• Presided by the President of the General Assembly (PGA) — elected annually; regional rotation.
• India's distinction: Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was the first woman PGA (1953); India elected regularly
to UNGA committees.
• Six Main Committees: (1) Disarmament/International Security; (2) Economic/Financial; (3)
Social/Humanitarian/Cultural; (4) Special Political/Decolonisation; (5) Administrative/Budgetary;
(6) Legal.
• Regular session: September to December annually; Special sessions: on request; Emergency
Special Sessions (ESS): UNSC deadlock.

2.2 Functions & Powers

FUNCTION DETAILS + INDIA ANGLE
Discussion & Debates on any UN matter; India uses UNGA as platform for 'Vasudhaiva
Deliberation Kutumbakam', climate justice, UNSC reform advocacy
Budget Approval Biennial UN budget (~$3.4B 2024–25); assessed contributions (USA 22%,
China 15%, India ~0.8%); zero-growth debates
Election Powers Elects: 10 non-permanent UNSC members, ECOSOC members, ICJ
judges (jointly with UNSC), UN SG (recommends)
Treaty Adoption UDHR (1948), SDGs (2015), Paris Agreement (2015), Pact for the Future
(2024) — all adopted here
Uniting for Peace When UNSC deadlocked, UNGA convenes ESS; used for Gaza 2023,
(Res.377) Ukraine 2022; non-binding but politically significant
ICJ Advisory Opinions Can request ICJ advisory opinions — Palestine Wall (2004), Kosovo
(2010), Israeli Occupation (2024)
Admission/Suspension Admits new members (on UNSC recommendation); can suspend/expel
members (Art.6 — never used)
SDG Review Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) at HLPF; India submitted VNR 2017,
2020; SDG progress monitoring

2.3 Limitations & Criticism

• Non-binding resolutions: UNGA resolutions are 'recommendations' — no legal enforcement; 193-
member majority can be overridden by P5 in UNSC.
• One nation one vote paradox: Nauru (10,000 population) = India (1.4B) = USA (330M) in UNGA
— critics say this undermines democratic representation.
 • Bloc politics: Voting blocs (G77, EU, NAM, Arab League) often produce politicised outcomes;
Anti-Israel bias criticism.
• Procedural slow pace: UNGA processes are slow; emergency sessions limited in scope.

2.4 Current Affairs (2023–25)

• UNGA ESS on Gaza (2023–24): Multiple emergency sessions; Resolution ES-10/21 (Oct 2023)
demanded 'humanitarian truce' — 120+ nations voted in favour; US/Israel opposed but non-
binding.
• UNGA ESS on Ukraine (2022–25): ES-11 series; Resolution demanding Russia withdraw (141-5
vote, March 2022) — India abstained.
• Summit of the Future (Sept 2024): UNGA-hosted; 'Pact for the Future' adopted; AI governance,
digital compact, UNSC reform acknowledged.
• India at UNGA 79th Session (2024): EAM Jaishankar addressed UNGA; called for UNSC reform;
'Vishwa Mitra' framing; India's Global South leadership.
• Veto Initiative (2022): UNGA mechanism — automatic debate when P5 casts veto; used for
Russia (Ukraine) and US (Gaza).
Theory Link (Liberalism): UNGA exemplifies liberal institutionalism — universal membership creates
a forum where even weak states have voice, reducing the pure power politics of bilateral diplomacy.
SECTION 3 — SECURITY COUNCIL (UNSC)

🔑 Topper Tag: 'The UN's executive arm' — only body with binding powers; also its
most dysfunctional in the 21st century

3.1 Composition
TYPE MEMBERS KEY FEATURES
Permanent Members (P5) USA, UK, France, Veto power; unelected; 1945-era selection;
Russia, China reform demanded
Non-Permanent Members 10 elected by UNGA 2-year terms; regional rotation; NO veto;
cannot be re-elected immediately
Regional Distribution (NP) Africa: 3; Asia-Pacific: India's last term: 2021–22; elected with record
2; GRULAC: 2; WEOG: 184/192 votes (2020)
2; EECE: 1
Presidency Monthly rotation Procedural power to set agenda; India's
(alphabetical) UNSC Presidency: August 2021
Quorum 9 of 15 for procedural Procedural = no veto applicable
votes

3.2 Powers & Functions (Chapter VI & VII)

POWER CHARTER BASIS RECENT APPLICATION
Investigate Art. 34 Syria (2012+), Myanmar (2021+), Sudan (2023)
disputes
Call for ceasefire Art. 40 (provisional Gaza Res.2728 (March 2024); Ukraine (vetoed by
measures) Russia)
Non-military Art. 41 Iran nuclear sanctions; North Korea sanctions; Russia
measures sanctions attempted (vetoed)
(sanctions)
Military force Art. 42 Gulf War (1991, Res.678); Libya (2011, Res.1973);
authorisation Korea (1950)
Peacekeeping Art. 29 (subsidiary 12 active PKOs; UNIFIL Lebanon; MONUSCO DRC;
mandates bodies) UNMISS South Sudan
Counter- Art. 25 + Res.1373 1267 Committee (sanctions on terror groups); India's
terrorism (2001) JeM/LeT designation battles
Refer to ICJ/ICC Art. 96 (advisory) / Sudan Darfur referred to ICC (Res.1593, 2005)
Res.1593
UNSC Monthly rotation India chaired debate on maritime security (UNCLOS
Presidency (India framing) and peacekeeping reform
Aug 2021)
3.3 The Veto — Deep Analysis
The veto is Article 27(3): 'Decisions of the Security Council on all other matters [non-
procedural] shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members including the
concurring votes of the permanent members.' A single P5 'No' vote = blocked
resolution.

Veto Statistics & Impact (2022–25)

COUNTRY TOTAL RECENT VETOES (2022– STRATEGIC IMPACT
VETOES 25)
Russia ~130+ Ukraine accountability Shields Russia from Ukraine war
(2022–25): 5+ vetoes; crimes accountability; undermines
MH17; Syria Chapter VII
USA ~85+ Gaza ceasefire (4 vetoes Prevented ceasefire while 45,000+
2023–24); protected Israel Palestinian civilians died; gravest
legitimacy crisis
China ~20+ Joint vetoes with Russia on Protects allies; prevents
Myanmar, Syria; North accountability for human rights
Korea sanctions violations
UK/France ~30/~20 Historical; very limited UK/France largely abstain from
recently solo vetoes; align with UNSC
majority often

India's Counter-Terrorism Challenge at UNSC

• 1267 Committee (Al-Qaeda/ISIS sanctions): India has repeatedly sought designation of Masood
Azhar (JeM) and LeT affiliates.
• China's blocking: China used 'technical hold' (de facto veto at committee level) to block Masood
Azhar designation for 10 years (2009–2019).
• Masood Azhar listed (2019): After sustained India-led global pressure, China finally allowed listing
— India's diplomatic victory.
• Post-2019: China continues to block new designation requests from India at 1267 Committee.
• UNSC Resolution 1373 (2001): Counter-terrorism obligations; India uses this to build case against
Pakistan's state support for terrorism.

3.4 UNSC Reform — The Central Debate

REFORM MODEL PROPOSAL INDIA'S POSITION
G4 Model 6 new permanent seats (2 Africa, 1 SUPPORTS — mutual G4 support;
Asia, 1 Latin Am, 1 Europe) + 4–5 India would gain permanent seat
non-permanent; India, Germany,
Japan, Brazil as new permanents
Uniting for Expand non-permanent seats with OPPOSES — led by Pakistan, Italy, S
Consensus (UFC) longer terms (no new permanent); Korea, Argentina; would deny India
'elected permanent' concept permanent seat
African Common 2 permanent African seats + 5 India SUPPORTS — building Africa
Position (Ezulwini) additional non-permanent; veto access alliance for UNSC reform
for Africa
 Veto Reform Require 2 P5 votes to veto (not 1); or India SUPPORTS — any reduction in
veto for procedural matters only; Veto veto abuse benefits reform agenda
Initiative (2022)
A5 (No Expansion) No new permanent members; only India OPPOSES — maintains status
procedural reform quo; preserves P5 privilege

3.5 Current Affairs (2023–25)

• Gaza UNSC Paralysis (2023–25): US vetoed 4 ceasefire resolutions; UNSC only passed
Res.2728 (March 2024) when US abstained; 45,000+ Palestinian deaths; gravest UNSC
legitimacy crisis.
• Ukraine (2022–25): Russia vetoed all accountability resolutions; Russia removed from UNHRC
(UNGA vote) — unprecedented; Ukraine-Russia Black Sea deal mediated by SG.
• Sudan (2023): Civil war between SAF and RSF; UNSC passed Res.2724 (ceasefire demand);
China/Russia complicated humanitarian access resolutions.
• India's UNSC Presidency (Aug 2021): India chaired landmark debates on maritime security
(UNCLOS as framework), peacekeeping reform, and counter-terrorism during its non-permanent
term.
• G4 IGN (Inter-Governmental Negotiations) 2024: Text-based negotiations resumed at UNGA;
Pact for the Future acknowledged UNSC reform 'urgency'; breakthrough still elusive.
Theory Link (Realism): Morgenthau's balance of power — UNSC is a great power concert where P5
balance against each other; veto = insurance policy for great powers; reform stalls because P5
collectively benefit from the current structure.
SECTION 4 — INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE (ICJ)

🔑 Topper Tag: 'The world's court — principal judicial organ; advisory opinions create
international law; India used it to win the Kulbhushan Jadhav case (2019)'

4.1 Composition & Structure

• 15 judges elected by UNGA and UNSC (simultaneous absolute majority in both bodies needed).
• 9-year terms; eligible for re-election; no two judges from same country.
• India's representation: Justice Dalveer Bhandari (elected 2012, 2017, current member) — India's
current ICJ judge.
• Elected in 2017 under dramatic circumstances: UK withdrew Christopher Greenwood's candidacy
— India vs UK for the seat; India won with UNGA support (historic).
• President/Vice-President elected by judges for 3-year terms; HQ: Peace Palace, The Hague,
Netherlands.

4.2 Jurisdiction — Two Types

JURISDICTION MECHANISM KEY INDIA-RELEVANT CASES
TYPE
Contentious Only states can be parties; Kulbhushan Jadhav (India v. Pakistan,
Jurisdiction CONSENT required (optional 2019); Aerial Incident of Aug 1999
clause, Art.36(2), or special (dismissed)
agreement)
Advisory Jurisdiction UNGA, UNSC, or other authorised Palestinian Wall (2004); Kosovo
UN bodies can request; non-binding (2010); Israeli Occupation (July 2024)
but authoritative — India co-sponsored request
Compulsory Optional clause declarations; states India has NOT accepted compulsory
Jurisdiction that sign accept ICJ jurisdiction for jurisdiction — strategic reservation
future disputes
Provisional Measures Legally binding interim orders while Ukraine v. Russia (2022): ICJ ordered
case pending ceasefire (Russia ignored); Israel-
Gaza (ICJ genocide case 2024)

4.3 Key Recent Cases (2022–25)

India-Specific
• Kulbhushan Jadhav (India v. Pakistan, 2019): ICJ ruled 15-1 that Pakistan violated Vienna
Convention on Consular Relations; ordered Pakistan to provide consular access. India's major
diplomatic-legal victory. Pakistan's compliance remains incomplete.
• Justice Dalveer Bhandari (2017): India's battle to retain ICJ seat against UK — when UNGA voted
183-0 for Bhandari, UK withdrew its candidate Greenwood. Shows India's growing diplomatic
leverage.
Global Cases (2022–25)
• Ukraine v. Russia (Feb 2022): Ukraine filed genocide convention case; ICJ issued binding
provisional measures ordering Russia to stop military operations — Russia ignored. Exposed ICJ
enforcement gap.
• South Africa v. Israel (Dec 2023): South Africa filed genocide case against Israel under Genocide
Convention; ICJ issued provisional measures (Jan 2024) ordering Israel to prevent genocide acts
in Gaza; Israel's compliance disputed.
• ICJ Advisory Opinion on Israeli Occupation (July 2024): UNGA requested advisory opinion; ICJ
ruled 14-1 that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories (West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza) is
unlawful; Israeli settlements violate international law; must end 'as rapidly as possible.' Non-
binding but politically transformative.
• Nicaragua v. Germany (2024): Nicaragua filed genocide case against Germany for arms supply to
Israel; ICJ dismissed on jurisdiction grounds — but landmark for state complicity doctrine.

4.4 Limitations of the ICJ

• Consent-based: States must consent to ICJ jurisdiction — cannot be compelled to appear
(Pakistan initially challenged Jadhav jurisdiction).
• No enforcement: ICJ judgements are legally binding but enforcement depends on UNSC (which
can be vetoed by P5).
• Only states: Individuals, corporations, NGOs cannot bring cases — limits ICJ's reach on non-state
violence.
• Slow pace: Cases take years; provisional measures help but main judgements come too late for
active conflicts.
• Advisory opinions: Non-binding — Israel has ignored both the 2004 Wall opinion and the 2024
Occupation opinion.
Theory Link (Liberalism): The ICJ embodies liberal institutionalism — states submitting to impartial
judicial authority rather than power politics; India's victory in Kulbhushan Jadhav shows how rules-
based order can serve even middle powers against nuclear-armed adversaries.
SECTION 5 — THE SECRETARIAT

🔑 Topper Tag: 'The UN's administrative engine and conscience — Secretary-General

as world's diplomat-in-chief, not just bureaucrat-in-chief'

5.1 Structure & Composition

• Headed by the Secretary-General (SG) — Art. 97: 'chief administrative officer of the Organisation.'
• ~44,000 international staff at HQ (New York) and field offices globally.
• SG appointed by UNGA on recommendation of UNSC — P5 veto applies to SG selection
(structural constraint).
• Current SG: António Guterres (Portugal) — 2nd term 2022–2026; former PM of Portugal +
UNHCR head.
• Deputy SG: Amina Mohammed (Nigeria) — manages day-to-day operations.
• India's aspirations: Shashi Tharoor ran for SG in 2006 — widely seen as best candidate; US/P5
preferred less assertive candidate.

5.2 Powers & Functions of the Secretary-General

POWER/FUNCTION DETAILS + CURRENT EXAMPLES
Chief Administrative Manages UN staff, budget execution, administrative functions; annual
Officer (Art.97) report to UNGA
Good Offices (Art.33) Mediates disputes on own initiative; Black Sea Grain Deal (Ukraine-Russia-
Turkey-UN, 2022, brokered by Guterres)
Peace Warning (Art.99) Can bring any matter threatening international peace to UNSC — 'political'
power; Guterres invoked Art.99 for Gaza (Dec 2023) — first time since
1989
Policy Advocacy 'Our Common Agenda' (2021); 'Summit of the Future' (2024); AI
governance; climate emergency declarations
Peacekeeping Oversees PKO field missions; appoints Special Representatives; India
Operations supports India-troop PKOs
Annual Report Reports on UN work to UNGA annually; sets agenda priorities; Guterres
reports highlight: climate, AI, UNSC reform
Emergency powers Can act in acute emergencies without prior authorisation to protect UN staff
and operations
Independent voice Art.100: SG must not seek instructions from any government —
independence principle; Guterres criticised Israel (rare for SG)

5.3 Art.99 Invocation — Gaza (Dec 2023)

Historic event: On December 8, 2023 — for the first time since 1989 — SG Guterres
formally invoked Article 99, writing to UNSC President: 'I am convinced that the
catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza poses a threat to international peace and
 security.' This was a rare exercise of SG's independent political authority, explicitly
calling for ceasefire. The US subsequently vetoed the UNSC ceasefire resolution that
followed. India had consistently called for ceasefire, aligning with SG's position.

5.4 Limitations of the Secretariat

• P5 control: SG selection requires UNSC recommendation — P5 veto means P5 can block
independent-minded SG candidates.
• Funding constraints: Assessed contributions frequently withheld (USA historically); programmatic
independence limited by financial dependence on large contributors.
• Political neutrality vs moral authority: Art.100 independence principle vs reality of P5 pressure on
SG's statements.
• Reform fatigue: Guterres' reform agenda ('Our Common Agenda', 'Summit of the Future')
acknowledged but P5 resistance limits institutional change.
SECTION 6 — ECOSOC (Economic & Social Council)

🔑 Topper Tag: 'The UN's development engine — coordinates 15 specialised agencies,

11 funds/programmes, and SDG implementation for 193 nations'

6.1 Composition & Structure

• 54 member states elected by UNGA for 3-year terms; regional distribution (Africa: 14, Asia-
Pacific: 11, EECE: 6, GRULAC: 10, WEOG: 13).
• Meets annually; High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development — under
ECOSOC auspices.
• Functional commissions: Statistical Commission; Population/Development; Social Development;
Status of Women; Narcotic Drugs; Crime Prevention; Science/Technology for Development;
Forests.
• India regularly elected to ECOSOC; active in HLPF SDG reviews; submitted Voluntary National
Reviews (VNR).

6.2 Key Functions

FUNCTION DETAILS + INDIA ANGLE
Development coordination Coordinates work of UN specialised agencies (WHO, FAO, UNESCO,
ILO, World Bank, IMF)
SDG Monitoring (HLPF) High-Level Political Forum reviews SDG progress; India's VNR 2017,
2020; only 15% SDGs on track (2024)
Policy recommendations Makes recommendations to UNGA/member states on
economic/social/cultural/health/education matters
NGO consultation Accredits ~6,000 NGOs with consultative status — civil society voice at
UN
Special commissions Commission on Status of Women (CSW): gender equality; India active
but criticised for patchy HDI record
Data & statistics UN Statistical Commission — UNDP Human Development Index; India
HDI 134th (2024)
COVID-19 Recovery Coordinated economic recovery; India's role in COVAX, vaccine equity
discussions

6.3 Key Specialised Agencies (ECOSOC-Linked)

AGENCY HQ INDIA RELEVANCE + CURRENT (2024–25)
WHO Geneva COVID-19 management; India pharmaceutical exports (70% of world
vaccine supply); Pandemic Treaty negotiations (2024–25)
ILO Geneva Labour standards; India 500M+ workforce; Decent Work Agenda;
migrant worker rights (Gulf diaspora)
FAO Rome Food security; India food grain production; PM2.0 diet; India-FAO
 cooperation on millets (International Year of Millets 2023 — India's
initiative)
UNESCO Paris 42 Indian UNESCO World Heritage Sites; International Day of Yoga
recognition; Nalanda University revival
IMF Washingto India $3.7T economy; currency stability; Special Drawing Rights (SDR)
n DC basket (India not yet included — aspiration)
World Bank Washingto India largest borrower; $15B+ annual lending; India's infrastructure,
n DC climate, education projects
UNIDO Vienna Industrial development; India's Make in India support; clean technology
transfer
IAEA Vienna Nuclear safeguards; India's Additional Protocol; civil nuclear
cooperation; Kudankulam reactor oversight
ICAO Montreal Aviation standards; India's growing civil aviation (3rd largest market);
safety oversight
IMO London Maritime law; UNCLOS implementation; India's IOR naval doctrine;
shipping standards
WMO Geneva Climate data; India's monsoon systems; IMDAA reanalysis data shared
with WMO
WIPO Geneva Intellectual property; India's pharma patent battles; India-pushed
TRIPS flexibilities; biodiversity-traditional knowledge
WFP Rome Food aid; India historically food-aided; now India contributing (50,000
MT wheat to Afghanistan 2022–24)
IFAD Rome Agricultural development; India-IFAD rural projects for NE India, tribal
communities

6.4 Key UN Funds & Programmes (ECOSOC-Linked)

BODY HQ INDIA RELEVANCE
UNDP New York HDI; SDG monitoring; India HDI 134th; 135M lifted from MPI poverty
(2015–21)
UNICEF New York Child welfare; India's immunisation, POSHAN, Beti Bachao
campaigns; India 4th largest donor
UNHCR Geneva Refugees; India hosts 200,000+ (Tibetan, Sri Lankan, Myanmarese
refugees); non-signatory to 1951 Refugee Convention
UN Women New York Gender equality; India's women peacekeepers (first FPU, Liberia
2007); SDG 5 progress
UNEP Nairobi Environment; India's ISA, CDRI; LiFE mission; India-UNEP
partnership on renewable energy
UNFPA New York Population; demographic dividend; India's family planning; India
1.4B+ population management
UN-Habitat Nairobi Urban development; India's Smart Cities Mission; PMAY (Housing
for All)
UNODC Vienna Drug trafficking; cybercrime; India-UNODC cooperation on Northeast
 drug routes (Golden Triangle)

6.5 Limitations of ECOSOC

• Coordination gap: ECOSOC's coordination of 15+ specialised agencies is notional — each
agency has own governance structure, budget, and political dynamics.
• Overlapping mandates: WHO, UNICEF, WFP all work on hunger/nutrition — duplication rather
than synergy.
• North-South divide: Developed countries push austerity in UN budget; developing countries (India,
G77) push for more development financing.
• SDG financing gap: $4T/year needed; ECOSOC frameworks identify need but cannot mobilise
private or sovereign capital at scale.
Theory Link (Constructivism): ECOSOC embodies the constructivist insight that international norms
— the SDGs, women's rights, child welfare — are socially constructed through multilateral processes;
ECOSOC is the machinery that creates and monitors these norms.
SECTION 7 — TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL (SUSPENDED)

🔑 Topper Tag: 'Mission accomplished — the only UN organ to achieve its objective
and suspend itself; India's anti-colonial role was central'

7.1 Background & Function

The Trusteeship Council (Arts. 86–91) was established to supervise the administration of 11 trust
territories — mostly former League of Nations mandates and post-WWII territories. Its objective was to
promote the welfare of these territories and their 'progressive development towards self-government or
independence.' It succeeded: all 11 territories became independent or joined neighbouring states. The
last — Palau (Pacific) — became independent on 1 October 1994.

• India's role: India was a strong voice at the Trusteeship Council for decolonisation and self-
determination; Nehru viewed it as instrument of anti-colonialism — aligned with NAM ideology.
• Trust territories included: British Cameroon, British Togoland, French Cameroon, French
Togoland, Belgian Ruanda-Urundi, Italian Somalia, British Tanganyika, Western Samoa, Nauru,
New Guinea, Pacific Islands (USA).
• Suspended operation: 1 November 1994 — UNGA Resolution 49/1 suspended Trusteeship
Council's regular meetings.
• Still exists in Charter: Art. 86–91 not repealed — would require Charter amendment; meets only
when required (not needed since 1994).

7.2 Proposed New Role (Reform Discussion)

• Some scholars propose repurposing the Trusteeship Council for 'global commons': outer space,
deep seabed, cyberspace, climate — areas beyond national jurisdiction.
• India's position: Open to discussing new mandates but insists any reformed body must be
democratic and equitable — not controlled by P5.
• BBNJ Treaty (2023): High Seas Treaty covers marine biodiversity — could potentially involve a
reformed Trusteeship Council-like mechanism for ocean governance.
SECTION 8 — MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS: UN ORGANS & INDIA

DIMENSION UNGA ROLE UNSC ROLE OTHER ORGANS

Political/Diplomatic Platform for India's India's 8 NP terms; UNSC ICJ: Jadhav case win;
global voice; UNGA Presidency Aug 2021; G4 Secretariat: SG Art.99 for
President (1953) reform push Gaza
Economic/Trade SDG adoption (2015); Sanctions regime (Iran, ECOSOC: WTO, IMF,
development N. Korea) — trade impact World Bank coordination;
resolutions India's borrowing
Strategic/Security Uniting for Peace PKO mandates; counter- ICJ provisional measures
(Gaza, Ukraine); terrorism 1267; Chapter (Ukraine, Gaza)
UNGA votes VII
Geopolitical 'Voice of Global UNSC reform (G4 vs ICJ seat competition
South'; Africa + India UFC); P5 vs rest (2017); ECOSOC regional
coalition blocs
Technological Summit of Future Cyber norms discussion; ITU (telecom); IAEA
2024; AI governance; space militarisation (nuclear); WIPO (IP)
Digital Compact
Environmental Paris Agreement Climate security debates UNEP; WMO; IPCC
(2015) in UNGA; (contested) (UNGA-linked); India's ISA
climate resolutions at UNGA
Soft Yoga Day; PKO = India's military soft UNESCO (42 heritage
Power/Diaspora Vasudhaiva power (250,000+) sites); UN Women (FPU)
Kutumbakam;
Nalanda

8.1 Theoretical Framework — Organ-wise

THEORY BEST EXPLAINS WHICH India-Specific Application
ORGAN
Realism UNSC (power politics, veto, India's UNSC bid as national interest; PKO for
great power management) military soft power + reimbursement
Liberalism UNGA (universal Kulbhushan Jadhav ICJ case; UNGA voting
representation); ICJ (rule of coalition for Palestine; SDG implementation
law); ECOSOC
(cooperation)
Constructivism UNGA norms (UDHR, India's Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam at UNGA;
SDGs, R2P); Secretariat Yoga Day; anti-colonial identity via Trusteeship
(global conscience) Council
Critical Theory ECOSOC reform needs; P5 India pushes for Global South representation;
veto as colonial legacy TRIPS reform; climate justice at UNFCCC
Complex ECOSOC agencies (WHO, India-WHO vaccine cooperation; India-WFP
Interdependence WFP, UNICEF) food aid transition; India-UNICEF child welfare
SECTION 9 — ISSUE-BASED ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK

9.1 Background
• The six principal UN organs were designed in 1945 for a different world: 51 founding members
(not 193), bipolar Cold War structure, pre-nuclear proliferation, no internet, no climate crisis.
• Each organ reflects the 1945 compromise: UNGA universality vs UNSC great-power management
vs ICJ consent-based adjudication.
• India was present at creation (founding member) but was not a P5 — and has spent 80 years
working within a system it helps maintain but whose structure it seeks to change.

9.2 Causes of Organ Dysfunction

• UNSC: P5 veto protects individual national interest over collective security — structural design
flaw; Gaza and Ukraine prove this.
• UNGA: Non-binding nature means even 193-1 votes cannot compel action; 'parliament without
legislative power.'
• ICJ: Consent-based jurisdiction means powerful nations can opt out; enforcement depends on
vetoed UNSC.
• ECOSOC: Coordination mandate without command authority — agencies operate independently;
SDG financing gap persists.
• Secretariat: SG's power limited by P5 control of appointment and budget — cannot act
independently when P5 disagree.
• Trusteeship Council: Mission accomplished, but the new 'global commons' challenges
(cyberspace, AI, space) have no dedicated organ.

9.3 Implications for India

• UNSC exclusion: India with 1.4B people has no permanent voice in security decisions —
structural injustice with real costs (China blocks terror designations).
• UNGA leverage: India's strong UNGA coalition-building compensates for UNSC exclusion — but
remains non-binding.
• ICJ opportunity: India has used ICJ effectively (Jadhav case); India should leverage ICJ more —
Indus Waters dispute, maritime boundary issues.
• Secretariat partnership: India needs more Indians in senior UN positions; Shashi Tharoor
precedent shows India's bureaucratic soft power potential.
• ECOSOC/Agencies: World Bank, IMF financing critical for India's infrastructure; SDG monitoring
accountability; WHO standards shape India's pharma export access.

9.4 Challenges
• UNSC reform paralysis: Article 108 requires P5 ratification — China's opposition to India's seat is
the decisive obstacle.
• ICJ enforcement gap: Russia ignoring Ukraine provisional measures; Israel ignoring Palestine
opinions — demonstrates limits of judicial organs.
• Agency fragmentation: 15+ ECOSOC specialised agencies often work at cross-purposes;
coordination deficit.
 • North-South divide in UNGA: G77 + China vs Western bloc on climate finance, TRIPS,
development finance — India must navigate carefully.
• UNSC veto use for domestic politics: US protection of Israel (Gaza), Russian protection in Ukraine
— organs captured by P5 national interest.

9.5 Way Forward — Organ-wise Reform

ORGAN RECOMMENDED REFORM
UNGA Strengthen Uniting for Peace mechanism; create UNGA binding humanitarian
resolution powers; weighted voting reform for budget decisions
UNSC G4 expansion (6 new permanent seats); veto reform (require 2 P5 votes to veto;
or humanitarian issues exempt from veto); strengthen Veto Initiative
ICJ Compulsory jurisdiction for all member states (treaty obligation); expand to
private international law disputes; strengthen provisional measures enforcement
Secretariat Merit-based SG selection (not P5 consensus); strengthen SG's Art.99 proactive
power; protect financial independence
ECOSOC Unified SDG financing mechanism; mandatory coordination among specialised
agencies; HLPF binding review powers
Trusteeship Repurpose for 'global commons' governance: outer space, deep seabed,
Council AI/cyberspace, climate; democratic composition
SECTION 10 — ANSWER WRITING TOOLKIT

10.1 INTRODUCTIONS (5 Types)

Type 1 — Data-Based
In 2024, the UN's principal judicial organ (ICJ) ruled Israel's 57-year occupation of
Palestinian territories unlawful; its Security Council was paralysed by veto on 4
ceasefire resolutions; its Secretary-General invoked Article 99 for the first time in 35
years; and its General Assembly held an emergency special session with 120+
nations voting for humanitarian relief. These simultaneous actions across four UN
organs in a single crisis — with contradictory outcomes — illustrate both the
complexity and the dysfunction of the UN's six-organ architecture. For India — the
world's largest democracy, largest PKO contributor, and aspiring UNSC permanent
member — this dysfunction is not an abstract concern but a strategic liability.

Type 2 — Current Event-Based

When SG Guterres invoked Article 99 (December 2023) — formally warning the UNSC
of Gaza's threat to international peace — he used a power last employed in 1989,
while the UNSC remained paralysed by US vetoes. This juxtaposition of the
Secretariat's moral authority, the UNSC's political dysfunction, and the UNGA's moral
but non-binding majority is the defining institutional story of 2023–25. Understanding
these organs — their powers, limitations, and interrelationships — is essential to
understanding how global governance actually works, as opposed to how it
theoretically should.

Type 3 — Agreement/Treaty-Based
From the UN Charter's Chapter VII (binding UNSC enforcement powers) and the ICJ
Statute (consent-based adjudication) to the Pact for the Future (Summit of the Future,
2024) — the UN organs operate through a dense web of constitutive documents,
resolutions, and precedents that collectively form the architecture of international
governance. India — a founding member of all principal organs — has shaped this
architecture: from Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit's UNGA Presidency (1953) to Justice
Dalveer Bhandari's ICJ membership, from India's UNSC Presidency (2021) to its G4
permanent seat campaign.

Type 4 — Quote-Based
"The Secretary-General has no army, no police, no nuclear weapons. What he has is
moral authority — and he must use it even when the P5 do not want him to." —
Analysis of Guterres' Art.99 invocation (Gaza, Dec 2023). This insight captures the
fundamental architecture of UN organs: UNSC has binding power but uses it for
national interest; UNGA has universal legitimacy but only moral authority; ICJ has
legal authority but no enforcement; Secretariat has moral authority but limited
autonomy. Together they constitute a system where the whole is less than the sum of
its dysfunctional parts.
Type 5 — Analytical Framing
The UN's six principal organs embody the fundamental tension in international
relations: the tension between sovereignty and collective governance, between great
power interest and universal values, between the world as it is and the world as we
wish it to be. The UNSC reflects Realist power politics; the UNGA reflects Liberal
universalism; the ICJ reflects the Constructivist aspiration for a rules-based order;
and the Secretariat attempts to hold the contradictions together. India — with
interests in all three frameworks — must navigate these contradictions strategically,
using each organ where it has comparative advantage.

10.2 CONCLUSIONS (5 Types)

Type 1 — Balanced Diplomatic
The UN's organs — dysfunctional as they are — remain the only universal
institutional framework available to manage global governance challenges. India must
pursue a dual strategy: (1) use existing organs effectively — UNGA coalitions, ICJ
litigation, ECOSOC agency partnerships, PKO leadership; and (2) reform them
structurally — G4 UNSC expansion, veto accountability, global commons trusteeship,
ECOSOC SDG financing. A reformed UN with India as a permanent UNSC member
would serve both India's national interests and the world's governance needs.

Type 2 — Win-Win Cooperation

The UN organs, at their best, demonstrate that global cooperation is not only possible
but transformative. UNICEF has saved millions of children's lives; WHO eradicated
smallpox; WFP feeds millions; ICJ peacefully resolves dozens of disputes annually.
India's engagement across all organs — as PKO contributor, UNGA coalition builder,
ICJ litigant, World Bank borrower, WHO regulatory partner — shows that the UN
system, despite its flaws, generates immense mutual benefit. The task is not to
abandon the system but to make it work for the 21st century's 8 billion people, not
1945's 2 billion.

Type 3 — Global Governance Reform

Three structural reforms across UN organs are necessary for a functioning 21st-
century multilateral system: (1) UNSC expansion with a reformed veto — reflecting
actual global power distribution; (2) UNGA empowerment — binding humanitarian
resolution powers when UNSC is paralysed; (3) ICJ compulsory jurisdiction — all UN
member states must accept ICJ authority for inter-state disputes. India must
champion all three, building coalitions through G4, the African Union, and Voice of
Global South platforms.

Type 4 — Strategic Autonomy

India's strategic autonomy in international affairs is inextricably linked to its
positioning across UN organs. A permanent UNSC seat (UNSC reform), a strong
 UNGA coalition (Voice of Global South), an ICJ judge (judicial soft power), and a
credible candidate for SG (Secretariat influence) — these are not separate foreign
policy goals but components of a single strategic architecture. India's UN organs
strategy must be as comprehensive as its multi-alignment strategy: use every
platform, build every coalition, and insist on reform that serves both India's interests
and the world's needs.

Type 5 — SDG/Global Peace

ECOSOC's specialised agencies — WHO, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, ILO — are the
delivery mechanisms for the UN's SDG commitments. With only 15% of SDGs on
track by 2024 and a $4T/year financing gap, the question is not whether the SDG
framework is sound — it is whether the institutional machinery (ECOSOC and its
agencies) has adequate resources, coordination, and authority to deliver. India —
having demonstrated through the UNDP Multi-dimensional Poverty Index that 135
million people can be lifted out of poverty in 6 years — must lead the argument that
SDG delivery is possible with political will and proper institutional capacity.
SECTION 11 — VALUE ADDITION (Key Cases, Data, Case Studies)

11.1 Key UN Resolutions — Must Know

Resolution Year Significance + India Angle
UNGA Res.377 1950 UNGA can meet in ESS when UNSC paralysed; used for Gaza (2023–
(Uniting for 24), Ukraine (2022)
Peace)
UNSC Res.1373 2001 Counter-terrorism obligations post-9/11; India uses to build case against
Pakistan
UNSC Res.1540 2004 WMD non-proliferation by non-state actors; India chaired 1540
Committee (2021–22)
UNSC Res.1593 2005 Darfur Sudan referred to ICC — establishes UNSC can invoke ICC for
non-Rome Statute states
UNSC Res.1973 2011 Libya No-Fly Zone — last Chapter VII authorisation for military force;
India abstained
UNGA Res. 2014 Crimea annexation — UNGA affirmed Ukraine's territorial integrity (100-
68/262 11-58); India abstained
UNGA Res. ES- 2022 Russia condemned for Ukraine invasion (141-5-35); India abstained —
11/1 strategic autonomy
UNSC Res.2728 March Gaza ceasefire demand — USA abstained (not vetoed); first UNSC
2024 ceasefire resolution in Gaza
UNGA Res. ES- Oct Gaza humanitarian truce demand (120+ in favour); India voted for (shift
10/21 2023 from earlier abstentions)
ICJ Advisory July Occupation unlawful; Israel must end settlement; India co-sponsored the
Opinion (Israeli 2024 advisory request
Occupation)

11.2 Case Studies

Case Study 1: UNGA Veto Initiative — The Accountability Innovation (2022)
• Origin: Ukraine crisis (2022) exposed UNSC paralysis; Russia vetoed all accountability measures.
• UNGA Res. 76/262 (April 2022): When any P5 member casts a veto in UNSC, UNGA
automatically convenes within 10 working days for debate — not binding but creates
accountability through transparency.
• First use: Russia veto on Ukraine (Feb 2022) — UNGA convened, debated, passed non-binding
resolutions condemning Russia (141-5).
• Second use: US vetoes on Gaza (2023–24) — UNGA Emergency Special Sessions; 120+ nations
voted for humanitarian ceasefire.
• India's role: India supported the Veto Initiative; consistent with India's position that veto use must
be accountable.
• Significance: First structural accountability mechanism for P5 veto in UN history; though non-
binding, creates political cost for veto use.
Case Study 2: ICJ Advisory Opinion on Israeli Occupation (July 2024)
• Request: UNGA requested ICJ advisory opinion on legal consequences of Israel's policies in
Occupied Palestinian Territories.
• Ruling (July 19, 2024): ICJ ruled 14-1 that Israel's prolonged occupation of West Bank, East
Jerusalem, and Gaza is unlawful; Israeli settlements violate international law; annexation of
Jerusalem is illegal; Israel must end occupation 'as rapidly as possible'; all states have obligation
not to recognise occupation.
• Non-binding: Advisory opinions are not binding in international law — but create authoritative
statements of legal position.
• India's position: India co-sponsored the UNGA request for advisory opinion; traditionally supports
two-state solution; this opinion aligns with India's stated position.
• Impact: 56+ countries cited opinion in bilateral statements; several European nations recognised
Palestine as state (2024); ICC prosecutor used opinion in arrest warrant proceedings.
• Lesson: ICJ advisory opinions, though non-binding, can catalyse significant normative and
political shifts — India should use this tool more strategically.

Case Study 3: India's UNSC Presidency August 2021 — Acting at the Top Table
• India held UNSC Presidency in August 2021 — rotating monthly presidency during its 2021–22
non-permanent term.
• Maritime Security Debate: India convened a ministerial-level UNSC debate on maritime security
— PM Modi presided (unprecedented for a non-permanent member). India framed UNCLOS as
the foundation for maritime governance — direct message to China on South China Sea.
• Counter-terrorism debate: India raised Pakistan-based terrorism in UNSC debates; pushed for
accountability of state-sponsors.
• Afghanistan/Taliban: India's UNSC presidency coincided with Taliban takeover (Aug 2021) —
India had to navigate complex discussions on humanitarian access, recognition, and regional
security.
• Strategic lesson: Even as a non-permanent UNSC member, India used its Presidency to set the
agenda and champion its foreign policy priorities — demonstrating the value of UNSC permanent
membership would provide.
SECTION 12 — PYQ MAPPING & APPROACH GUIDANCE

# Year/Exam Question Approach Hint

1 UPSC 2023 'Critically examine the role of the UN Security Cover UNSC functions
Council in maintaining international peace and (Chapter VI, VII); then veto
security in the 21st century. Has the veto abuse examples (Gaza US
power become an obstacle?' veto 2023–24, Russia Ukraine
2022–25); acknowledge veto
was designed as P5 buy-in
mechanism. Way forward:
Veto Initiative (2022), G4
reform, UNGA Uniting for
Peace. India angle: UNSC
non-permanent experience;
permanent seat case.
2 UPSC 2021 'Assess the role of the ICJ in the settlement of ICJ structure (15 judges,
international disputes. Illustrate with recent consent jurisdiction);
examples.' contentious vs advisory;
Kulbhushan Jadhav (India
2019); Ukraine v. Russia
provisional measures (2022);
South Africa v. Israel
provisional measures (2024);
ICJ Advisory on Occupation
(July 2024). Limitations:
enforcement, consent, non-
binding advisory opinions.
India: Dalveer Bhandari, 2017
ICJ seat battle.
3 UPSC 2019 'The General Assembly of the United Nations Uniting for Peace Res.377;
has become more assertive in recent years. Gaza ESS resolutions (2023);
Discuss with examples.' Ukraine Res. ES-11 (2022);
Veto Initiative (2022); Summit
of the Future (2024). India's
role: voting coalition; Voice of
Global South; UNGA
President 1953 (first woman).
Limitations: non-binding
nature.
4 UPSC 2022 'Discuss the functions and role of the UN SG's dual role: administrative
Secretariat. How relevant is the Secretary- (Art.97) + political (Art.99);
General's position today?' Guterres' Art.99 invocation for
Gaza (Dec 2023) — first in 35
years; Black Sea Grain Deal
mediation (2022); 'Our
Common Agenda'; 'Summit of
Future'. Limitations: P5 control
over appointment; budget
dependence. India: Shashi
Tharoor 2006 candidacy;
support for stronger SG role.
5 TPSC/State 'Discuss the role of various organs of the UNO All 6 organs; India-specific:
 PSC with special reference to India's participation UNGA (founding member,
and contributions.' Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, Voice
of Global South), UNSC (8 NP
terms, G4 bid, PKO 250,000+,
UNSC Presidency Aug 2021),
ICJ (Jadhav case, Dalveer
Bhandari), Secretariat (Shashi
Tharoor), ECOSOC (SDG
VNRs), Trusteeship (anti-
colonial). Current: Summit of
Future 2024; Pact for Future.
6 UPSC 2020 'The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) ECOSOC functions; 54
is the principal organ for UN's development members; HLPF; VNRs;
functions. How effective has it been in coordination of 15+
achieving the SDGs?' specialised agencies. SDG
progress: only 15% on track
(2024); $4T financing gap.
India's SDG achievements:
135M out of MPI poverty;
renewable energy targets.
Specialised agencies role:
WHO, UNDP, UNICEF, WFP.
Way forward: mandatory
coordination; SDG financing
mechanisms; HLPF binding
review.
SECTION 13 — MODEL ANSWERS

Q: 'Discuss the role of various organs of the United Nations, their limitations, and
the need for reform. Illustrate with recent examples.'

MODEL ANSWER A — 150 Words

INTRODUCTION: The UN's six principal organs form a complex governance architecture —
each with distinct powers, constituencies, and limitations — whose interaction determines the
UN's effectiveness in managing global peace, development, and justice. For India, a founding
member and aspiring UNSC permanent member, these organs are simultaneously diplomatic
platforms, litigation forums, and development partnerships.
KEY ORGANS: UNGA (193 members; one vote; non-binding; India used for 'Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam' at G20 2023 and Gaza ESS resolutions); UNSC (15 members; P5 veto; binding
Chapter VII decisions; paralysed by US veto on Gaza 2023–24, Russia veto on Ukraine 2022–
25); ICJ (15 judges; India won Kulbhushan Jadhav case 2019; ICJ ruled Israeli occupation
unlawful July 2024); Secretariat (SG Guterres invoked Art.99 for Gaza Dec 2023 — first in 35
years); ECOSOC (SDG monitoring; only 15% SDGs on track 2024).
LIMITATIONS & INDIA: UNSC veto paralysis is India's chief structural complaint; China blocks
India's counter-terrorism designations at 1267 Committee; India excluded from P5 despite 1.4B
population and 250,000+ PKO contributions.
CONCLUSION: India must pursue UNSC permanent membership (G4 model), strengthen
UNGA's Uniting for Peace mechanism, and use ICJ more aggressively — converting
multilateral engagement into structural reform to make the UN a truly 21st-century governance
body.

MODEL ANSWER B — 250 Words

INTRODUCTION: When SG Guterres invoked Article 99 (December 2023) while the UNSC
was paralysed by US vetoes on Gaza, the UNGA passed emergency ceasefire resolutions with
120+ nations, and the ICJ ordered provisional measures against Israel — three UN organs
simultaneously acting on the same crisis with contradictory authority and effectiveness — it
captured the essential paradox of the UN system: simultaneous moral authority, political
dysfunction, and institutional fragmentation.
UNGA — THE WORLD'S FORUM: 193 members; one nation one vote; non-binding but
politically significant. India leverages UNGA for 'Voice of Global South' leadership, coalition-
building on SDGs, UNSC reform advocacy, and norm-setting (Pact for Future 2024). Uniting for
Peace Resolution (1950) allows UNGA emergency sessions when UNSC is deadlocked —
used for Gaza (2023) and Ukraine (2022).
UNSC — POWER CONCENTRATED: Chapter VII binding enforcement powers; peacekeeping
mandates (12 active PKOs; India's 250,000+ cumulative contributions); counter-terrorism (1267
Committee — India secured Masood Azhar listing in 2019 after 10-year China blockade). But
P5 veto has paralysed UNSC on every major 21st-century crisis. India's UNSC Presidency
(Aug 2021) showed even non-permanent members can set agenda — maritime security debate
chaired by PM Modi (UNCLOS framing).
ICJ — RULES-BASED ADJUDICATION: Contentious jurisdiction (consent-based) + advisory
opinions (UNGA/UNSC request). India's victory in Kulbhushan Jadhav v. Pakistan (2019, 15-1)
demonstrates ICJ's utility even against nuclear-armed adversaries. ICJ Advisory on Israeli
Occupation (July 2024, 14-1) — India co-sponsored request; ruling aligned with India's two-
state solution position. Justice Dalveer Bhandari's continued ICJ presence (after 2017 seat
battle with UK) is India's judicial soft power asset.
SECRETARIAT & ECOSOC: SG Guterres: Art.99 invocation (Dec 2023); Black Sea Grain
Deal (2022). ECOSOC coordinates WHO (Pandemic Treaty negotiations 2024–25 — India
wants vaccine equity), World Bank (India's largest borrower), UNDP (HDI 134th; 135M lifted
from MPI poverty 2015–21). Only 15% of SDGs on track by 2024 — ECOSOC's coordination
mandate without enforcement authority is the development governance gap.
CONCLUSION: India's UN strategy must be three-dimensional: (1) use existing organs
effectively — ICJ litigation, UNGA coalition building, PKO leadership, ECOSOC agency
partnerships; (2) reform structurally — G4 UNSC expansion, Veto Initiative strengthening,
UNGA binding humanitarian powers; (3) claim new institutional space — permanent UNSC
seat, stronger SG candidacy, repurposed Trusteeship Council for global commons. A reformed
UN with India's permanent voice would serve both national strategic interests and the world's
urgent governance needs.
SECTION 14 — HIGH-IMPACT KEYWORDS & PHRASES

Keyword/Phrase UN Organ Usage Tip

Chapter VII Powers UNSC Binding enforcement decisions: ceasefire, sanctions,
military authorisation
Veto Power (Art.27(3)) UNSC P5 privilege; 'existential obstacle to UNSC reform';
Gaza + Ukraine examples
Uniting for Peace UNGA UNGA's emergency bypass when UNSC paralysed;
(Res.377) India uses strategically
Compulsory Jurisdiction ICJ India has NOT accepted; states can opt out; limits
ICJ reach on major powers
Advisory Opinion ICJ Non-binding but authoritative; Israeli Occupation
2024; Palestine Wall 2004
Provisional Measures ICJ Binding interim orders; Ukraine v. Russia (2022);
Israel-Gaza (2024)
Article 99 Secretariat SG can bring peace threats to UNSC; invoked by
Guterres Dec 2023 for Gaza
Good Offices Secretariat SG mediates disputes; Black Sea Grain Deal (2022);
non-coercive mechanism
HLPF (High-Level Political ECOSOC SDG review mechanism; India's VNRs 2017, 2020;
Forum) only 15% SDGs on track
1267 Committee UNSC Sanctions on terrorist groups; India vs China on
JeM/LeT designations
Veto Initiative (2022) UNGA/UNSC Automatic UNGA debate when P5 casts veto;
accountability mechanism
G4 Model UNSC Reform India-Germany-Japan-Brazil; 6 new permanent seats
+ additional non-permanent
Kulbhushan Jadhav Case ICJ India v. Pakistan (2019); Vienna Convention; 15-1
ruling for India
PKO ('Chapter VI½') UNSC/Field Not in Charter; evolved practice; India's 250,000+
cumulative contributions
Voice of Global South UNGA India's leadership brand at UNGA/G20; developing
nations' spokesperson
BBNJ Treaty (2023) ECOSOC/UNGA High Seas Treaty; marine biodiversity; India signed;
ocean governance reform
Pandemic Treaty WHO/ECOSOC Negotiations 2024–25; India pushes for vaccine
equity, TRIPS reform
Dalveer Bhandari ICJ India's current ICJ judge; won 2017 seat against UK
— India's judicial soft power
Trusteeship Council Suspended/ Reform proposal for global commons (AI, space,
Repurposing Reform deep seabed, cyberspace)
Inclusive Multilateralism India's Vision India's reform narrative: keep multilateralism,
democratise its institutions
SECTION 15 — ULTRA-CRISP REVISION SHEET

⚡ READ BEFORE EXAM — Complete UN Organs Master Recall in 60 Seconds

15.1 Six Organs Flash Table

ORGAN MEMBERS BINDING? KEY INDIA ANGLE
POWER
UNGA 193 No Uniting for Voice of Global South; Vijaya
Peace; Lakshmi Pandit (1953 PGA)
budget;
treaty
adoption
UNSC 15 (5+10) YES ([Link]) Sanctions; 8 NP terms; G4 bid; UNSC
PKO; Presidency Aug 2021
military
authorisation
ICJ 15 judges Yes Provisional Jadhav case 2019 win; Dalveer
(contentious); measures; Bhandari; 2024 advisory
No (advisory) advisory
opinions
Secretariat ~44,000 Admin only Art.99 peace Art.99 Gaza 2023; Shashi Tharoor
warning; 2006 bid
Good offices
ECOSOC 54 No SDG VNRs 2017,2020; 135M MPI poverty
coordination; reduction
agency
oversight
Trusteeship Suspended N/A Former trust Anti-colonial role; Suspended 1994;
Council territories repurpose debate

15.2 Critical Current Affairs Flash (2023–25)

EVENT ORGAN INDIA'S POSITION
SG Guterres Art.99 invocation Secretariat Called for ceasefire — India
(Dec 2023) aligned
Gaza UNSC veto (US, 4 times UNSC India called for ceasefire;
2023–24) balanced approach
ICJ Advisory: Israeli Occupation ICJ India co-sponsored UNGA
(July 2024) request
Summit of the Future / Pact for UNGA India led Global South agenda;
Future (Sept 2024) AI, climate finance
UNGA ESS on Ukraine (ES-11, UNGA India abstained — strategic
2022) autonomy
UNSC Presidency India (Aug UNSC Maritime security debate;
2021) UNCLOS framing by PM Modi
Veto Initiative (UNGA UNGA/UNSC India supported — veto
Res.76/262, 2022) accountability mechanism
Masood Azhar 1267 listing UNSC India's decade-long effort paid
(2019) off; China relented
Kulbhushan Jadhav ICJ (2019) ICJ India won 15-1; Pakistan
ordered to provide consular
access
India HDI 2024 ECOSOC/UNDP 134th; 135M MPI poverty
reduction 2015–21 (UNDP)

15.3 Theory-Organ Triplets

• Realism → UNSC → P5 veto = national interest over collective security; India's PKO =
national interest (soft power + reimbursement)
• Liberalism → ICJ + ECOSOC → Rule of law (Jadhav case); interdependence (WHO, World
Bank cooperation)
• Constructivism → UNGA + Secretariat → Norm creation (SDGs, UDHR); SG moral authority
(Art.99)
• Critical Theory → All organs → UNSC = colonial legacy; India's permanent seat = post-
colonial justice demand

15.4 Key Charter Articles — Organ-wise

Article Organ Content Application
9–22 UNGA UNGA One nation one vote; budget; Uniting for Peace
composition,
functions,
voting
23–54 UNSC UNSC P5+10; veto (Art.27); Chapter VI/VII
composition,
functions
27(3) UNSC Veto P5 'concurring votes' = veto mechanism
requirement
51 UNSC Right to self- India's counter-terrorism strikes; Art.51
defence justification
61–72 ECOSOC ECOSOC 54 members; SDG coordination; agency
composition, oversight
functions
86–91 Trusteeship Council TC Suspended; trust territories completed
composition,
functions
92–96 ICJ ICJ as 15 judges; contentious + advisory jurisdiction
principal
judicial organ
97–101 Secretariat SG Art.97 (CEO); Art.99 (peace warning); Art.100
appointment, (independence)
functions
108 Charter Amendment Requires 2/3 WHY UNSC reform is near-impossible; Art.108
UNGA + all P5 barrier

15.5 Quote Arsenal

"The United Nations has six organs, but only one with real teeth — and that one is
held captive by five nations whose legitimacy was established 80 years ago." —
Analytical exam line (your own words)

"The Secretary-General is the world's most important civil servant — accountable to

193 member states and effectively controlled by 5." — Analytical commentary on
Secretariat

"India's ICJ victory in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case (2019) proved that in a rules-
based order, even smaller asymmetric powers can win against nuclear-armed
adversaries — when the rules work." — Key IR insight

"The Trusteeship Council's greatest achievement was making itself unnecessary. No

other UN organ has matched that standard of institutional success." — Analytical
contrast with dysfunctional UNSC

MASTER NOTES COMPLETE

Role of Various Organs of UNO | UPSC CSE GS-2
Compiled by Diptanu | All rights reserved