United Nations Security Council Arria-Formula Meeting

Marking the Seventh Anniversary of the

Youth, Peace and Security Agenda

(12 December 2022, 1315hrs. EST / 2345 hrs. IST)

Approved India Statement

Mr. President

At the very outset, we would like to thank Ireland and all the co-sponsors for organizing this meeting and to all the briefers for sharing their valuable insights.

2. The United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2250, adopted seven years ago, was a major milestone which rightly recognized and mainstreamed youth participation in the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.

3. The Youth, Peace, and Security agenda is based on five pillars, namely prevention, protection, participation, partnership, and disengagement. India believes that a balanced and integrated implementation of all the five pillars is essential for young people to fully and meaningfully engage in conflict prevention, resolution and recovery.

4. Today, India has two major pillars of strength: demography and democracy. With over 250 million, India is home to the largest adolescent population and one that is instilled with democratic values. To tap this twin demographic and democratic dividend, in India we committed to creating a conducive environment through a slew of initiatives:“Start Up India”, “Skill India”, “Digital India”- to name a few that have been launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India which are transforming the Indian youth into a more skilled, entrepreneurial, and financially empowered generation.

5. Revered Indian philosopher Sri Aurobindo believed that revolution and evolution is the real identity of the youth. With these two attributes, young people have the ability to not carry the burden of old legacy, and shake it off when they want to or have to. They evolve amidst new challenges and new demands--creating new ideas and new structures in the process.

6. And today we are witnessing this in our country, and outside through our diaspora. With a "Can Do" spirit, young Indians have become a force to be reckoned with across the globe: be it the world of information technology or healthcare or startups, they have made a mark for themselves. Within India alone, our youth prides itself of having created a formidable ecosystem of more than 50,000 startups—of these more than 10,000 being formed in the last two years amid the challenges of Covid-19. Similar demographic youth dividend could be seen in Africa and other parts of the Global South.

Mr. President

7. As we collectively aim to build back and get on track our SDGs in the post pandemic phase, it is imperative that we keep the concerns and aspirations of our youth at the center of our policies. For, our youth are our ‘Growth Ambassadors’ and ‘Development Drivers’. They are also the foundations on which peaceful societies are built. This would necessitate all member states to first provide security to their young population in all respects: physical, psycho-social and financial. In the absence of strong institutions to which the youth can turn to for guidance, we have all borne the brunt of our youth falling prey to violent ideologies.

8. It is well-known that terrorist, armed and organized criminal activities thrive by preying on such vulnerable young people. And with proliferation of digital technologies and social media platforms, tapping into this susceptible demographic category has become easier than ever. Holistic security of our youth deserves our full attention in our collective endeavours to build peaceful and secure societies.

9. Akin to the WPS (Women Peace and Security) agenda, India strongly believes in the transformative potential of the YPS (Youth Peace and Security) agenda. We will continue to support Council’s endeavors to enable young people to participate meaningfully in peace processes and peacebuilding activities.

Thank you.

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