During its two-year term on the UN Security Council, India emerged as the voice of the Global-South, leading to intense discussions on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and other global crises. While food and fuel insecurity reached unprecedented levels in 2022 due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the world also grappled with increased inequalities due to the pandemic. India took over the presidency of the powerful UN body in December, with Ruchira Kamboj, the country's first woman Permanent Representative to the UN, taking over as chair, before giving up her non-permanent seat on the 15-member council on 31 December 2022.

Nearly two months into the second year of India's 2021-2022 term at the Council as an elected non-permanent member, Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24 launched a 'special military operation' in eastern Ukraine.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed to Putin to stop his troops from invading Ukraine and establish peace. He termed the attack as the saddest moment of his tenure as UN Secretary-General.

India's Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj said that during the tenure of 2021-22 as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, there came a time when India had to stand alone. During this he did not give up the principles he believed in. 

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, India's then UN envoy T S Tirumurti in February underlined New Delhi's call for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and warned that the situation could escalate into a major crisis. In statements to the Council and the General Assembly throughout this year, India repeatedly called for an immediate end to hostilities and violence. New Delhi emphasized that dialogue and diplomacy is the only way forward and activities that escalate the conflict should be avoided.