The re-election of Justice Dalveer Bhandari to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), has been hailed as a “historic” victory” for India.
Speaking to the press, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Syed Akbaruddin said that the re-election reflected the fact that India was now “globally acknowledged as a country which can contribute” in many fields including international law .
India’s Dalveer Bhandari was pitted against Britain’s Christopher Greenwood for the ICJ seat, and sustained effort from India was key to breaking the deadlock in the election which ended when Britain withdrew its candidate.
Akbaruddin noted that the result was due to efforts of not just Indian officials in the UN but also of political leaders like External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, foreign policy establishments in Delhi and Indian missions worldwide, who were engaged fully in the process.
No British Judge On ICJ For the First Time In Decades
The win has been called historic as it’s the first time since 1946 that no judge from Britain is a part of the ICJ.
The envoy highlighted that India’s candidate received 183 votes in the General Assembly while in the Security Council, all 15 votes were secured. This is the highest number of votes received by a successful judge in elections this year, indicating the growth of India’s standing and influence, Akbaruddin said .
India’s Win Points To Changing World Order
According to Akbaruddin the victory of Bhandari was important because changes in global world order must be recognized and reflected with fair representation at the United Nations.
Noting that it was “a reflection of the real picture of the world”, he stated that the result also showcased the effort put in by everybody.
He highlighted that India’s successes on the global platform were “a reflection of rising India, a new India” and an acknowledgement that the country needed to be given “its rightful place in the world order.”
The election also revealed the importance attached by nations to the true representation and democratic process.
