India Elected to UN Human Rights Council for 2026–28 Term

India has been elected unopposed to the Human Rights Council for a three-year term (2026-28) starting next year, for the seventh time. Since the council’s formation in 2006, India has been a member continuously except for three mandatory breaks in 2011, 2018, and 2025.

• India has been elected unopposed to the Human Rights Council for a three-year term (2026-28) starting next year. Following the announcement of India’s election by the General Assembly, Permanent Representative P. Harish said the election reflects India’s unwavering commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms.
• India, which last served in the UNHRC until 2024 after two consecutive terms, took a break this year and decided to contest for the 2026-28 term, as the rules prohibit a third consecutive term.
• Since the council’s formation in 2006, India has been a member continuously except for three mandatory breaks in 2011, 2018, and 2025.
• In the council’s first election in 2006, India was elected with the highest number of votes, receiving 173 out of 190 votes. Since then, India has served six terms: 2006-2007, 2008-2010, 2012-2014, 2015-2017, 2019-2021, and 2022-2024.

Human Rights Council

• The Human Rights Council is the principal United Nations body with 47 members. It promotes and protects human rights worldwide, reviews the human rights situations of member states, and provides a forum for discussion on issues.
• The council was established by the General Assembly in 2006, when India was elected for its first term.
• The council’s seats are allocated among five regional groups as follows: African countries - 13 seats; Asia-Pacific countries - 13 seats; Eastern European countries - 6 seats; Latin American and Caribbean countries - 8 seats; and Western European and other countries - 7 seats.
• The UNHRC stated that Angola, Chile, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Iraq, Italy, Mauritius, Pakistan, Slovenia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam were the other members elected for a three-year term starting January 1, 2026.