After a gap of 19 years, India on Monday assumed the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council for August, a period it intends to utilise to establish its credentials for a permanent membership by creating a more "enduring" presence for itself.
A temporary member of the Council, India last held the monthly presidency in December 1992.
August, being a vacation period, is expected to be a more relaxed one. But New Delhi's envoy to the UN Hardeep Puri said India will handle the responsibility with political maturity.
"We are hoping to utilise our stay on the (UN Security) Council not only to re-establish our credentials but also to see what can be done for us to have a more enduring presence," Puri said earlier.
He said India would show "political maturity to supervise the work of the Council, which in turn re-establishes the message that we have the credentials to be a permanent member."
Besides the regular work of the Council, India will organise a debate on peacekeeping.
Speaking on the normal agenda of the Council, Puri stressed that the conflicts in Sudan and Libya needed the attention of the international community.
He said India will focus on peacekeeping and will urge the warring sides in Libya to call a ceasefire.
