New York: India has been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2026–2028 term, marking its seventh tenure on the Geneva-based body.
Announcing the results of Tuesday’s election, the UNHRC said in a social media post that India’s three-year term will begin on January 1, 2026.
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, expressed gratitude to all delegations for their strong support.
“India was elected to the Human Rights Council for the 2026–28 term for the seventh time today,” he said, adding that the outcome reflects India’s steadfast commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms.
“We look forward to advancing this objective during our tenure,” he added.
The UN Human Rights Council comprises 47 member states, elected by the UN General Assembly for three-year terms, based on equitable regional distribution. Seats are allocated as follows:
African States: 13
Asia-Pacific States: 13
Eastern European States: 6
Latin American and Caribbean States: 8
Western European and other States: 7
India, which last served on the Council for the 2022–2024 term, took a mandatory one-year break in 2025 before contesting again, as rules prohibit three consecutive terms.
Since the Council’s establishment in 2006, India has served six terms — 2006–2007, 2008–2010, 2012–2014, 2015–2017, 2019–2021, and 2022–2024 — with breaks in 2011, 2018, and 2025. In the inaugural election in 2006, India won 173 out of 190 votes, the highest among all candidates.
Alongside India, the countries elected for the upcoming term beginning January 1, 2026, include Angola, Chile, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Iraq, Italy, Mauritius, Pakistan, Slovenia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam, the UNHRC announced.
