Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he was “deeply grateful” after India was elected unopposed as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the term 2021-22 with an overwhelming support of 184 votes in the 193-member General Assembly in the election held Wednesday.

“Deeply grateful for the overwhelming support shown by the global community for India’s membership of the UN Security Council. India will work with all member countries to promote global peace, security, resilience and equity,” PM Modi tweeted.

New Delhi won the Asia Pacific seat on the highest decision-making body of the UN with the unanimous support of the countries in the 55-member group, with China and Pakistan, at least openly, conceding support in face of overwhelming backing for India from the others.

Though India ran unopposed from Asia, eight countries apparently did not vote for India in the secret ballot in which 192 of the 193 member nations participated.

India will be joining the UNSC on 1 January, 2021. It will be a two-year tenure. Meanwhile, this is for the eight time that India has been elected to UNSC without veto powers, even as it pursues on a parallel track UN reforms aimed at getting a permanent seat.

Following the election, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also congratulated the Permanent Mission of India to United Nations and the MEA team for their good work.

The US Department of State extended a warm welcome to India and congratulations on New Delhi’s successful election to the UNSC.

It further said that the US look forward to working together on issues of international peace and security – a natural extension of US-India Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.

After the vote, India’s Permanent Representative TS Tirumurti acknowledged in a video message saying, “Our election to the United Security Council is a testament to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi’s vision and his inspiring global leadership. His strong engagement across countries and across regions has clearly found resonance.”

Tirumurti also expressed his gratitude to the member states of the United Nations for this ringing endorsement.

In a last-minute pitch, Tirumurti said, “India’s presence in the Security Council will help bring to the world our ethos that the world is one family — Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.”

India’s last term on the UNSC was in 2011-12 and Hardeep Singh Puri, who was then India’s Permanent Representative and is now a minister, immediately afterwards planned to bid for its next term not wanting a long gap like the 19 years since the previous 1991-92 tenure.

Intense diplomacy by him and his successor, Asoke Mukerji, sealed India’s bid for the 2021-22 term.