Overweight and weak: On the UN, the 81st session of the UN General Assembly

Published 2026-09-29 · Updated 2026-09-29 · 3 min · 577 words

UPSC CSE Context

Why in News

The 81st UN General Assembly session highlighted urgent calls for UN reform amid record global conflicts and superpower hegemony.

Syllabus Connection

International Relations: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

Exam Relevance

Questions on UN reform, India's role in multilateralism, and challenges to global governance are frequent in UPSC CSE Mains GS2 and Prelims.

Core Issue

UN faces legitimacy crisis due to conflicts, polarisation, and superpower dominance.

Key Development

UNGA 81 saw calls for reform and India's campaign for UNSC non-permanent seat 2028-29.

Stakeholders

• United Nations
• UN Secretary-General António Guterres
• Bangladesh
• United States
• European Union
• Iran
• Russia
• Palestine

Static Knowledge

High-Value Background

• UNGA is the main deliberative organ of the UN, with all 193 member states having equal voting rights.
• UNSC has 5 permanent members with veto power, a key target of reform demands.

Concepts in Context

• Multilateralism refers to coordination among three or more countries in pursuit of common goals.
• Superpower hegemony denotes dominance by a few powerful nations in international institutions.

Institutions and Mechanisms

• UN General Assembly elects the Secretary-General on recommendation of the Security Council.
• UN Security Council has primary responsibility for maintenance of international peace and security.

Dynamic Analysis

International Relations

• Superpower conflicts undermine UN Charter principles, eroding trust in multilateral institutions.
• Unilateral sanctions and visa denials by powerful states weaken UN's credibility as a neutral forum.
• India's balancing role and advocacy for rules-based order gain relevance amid global polarisation.
• Partnership for Multilateralism (P4M) initiative signals efforts to counter superpower hegemony.

Governance

• UN's structure, especially UNSC permanent membership, is seen as unrepresentative of current geopolitical realities.
• Lack of enforcement mechanisms for UN resolutions reduces effectiveness in conflict resolution.
• Reform of UN decision-making processes is essential to address legitimacy deficit.
• Selection of next UNSG offers opportunity to push for institutional reforms.

Security

• Record number of conflicts (65 across 35 countries) highlights UN's failure in conflict prevention.
• Nuclear threats and wars by superpowers increase global insecurity.
• UN's inability to act decisively in Ukraine, Gaza, and Persian Gulf reflects structural weaknesses.
• India-Pakistan conflict mention at UNGA underscores regional security implications.

Society

• Growing polarisation on global issues affects consensus-building and collective action.
• Marginalisation of smaller states in UN processes perpetuates inequality in global governance.
• Civil society and non-state actors demand more inclusive multilateralism.
• Public trust in international institutions declines with perceived ineffectiveness.

Prelims Takeaways

• India is campaigning for a non-permanent UNSC seat for 2028-29.

Mains Value Addition

Arguments

• UN reform is imperative to reflect contemporary power distribution and enhance legitimacy.
• India's pursuit of UNSC permanent membership aligns with its rising global stature.
• Multilateralism must evolve beyond superpower dominance to address global challenges effectively.
• UN's effectiveness depends on member states' willingness to uphold Charter principles.

Examples

• US denial of visas to Palestinian delegation at UNGA 81 illustrates use of host country power to limit participation.

Data Points

• 65 conflicts across 35 countries in 2025, highest since 1946.

Counterpoints

• Reform efforts face resistance from permanent members reluctant to dilute power.
• UN's relevance questioned due to repeated failures in preventing conflicts.
• Superpowers may bypass UN, further weakening its authority.

Way Forward

• Push for comprehensive UNSC reform including expansion of permanent and non-permanent seats.
• Strengthen UNGA's role in peace and security issues when UNSC is deadlocked.
• Promote inclusive multilateralism through initiatives like P4M to counter hegemony.
• Enhance UN's conflict prevention and mediation capacities through adequate funding and political support.
• India should actively engage in shaping UN reform agenda and build coalitions for change.

Primary/reference source: thehindu.com