<P> India's procedural conservatism was based both on its commitment to national sovereignty and its desire to protect Indian interests . Its experience with the UN had not always been positive . In the early years after independence, a whole range of issues, which had their origins in the partition of the Indian subcontinent between India and Pakistan, came before the UN . These issues included the disputed princely states of Junagadh, Hyderabad and Kashmir, which were ultimately incorporated into the Indian Union through the use of military force . </P> <P> The most persistent of these disputes was the Kashmir conflict . Nehru's faith in the UN and adherence to its principles proved costly on some occasions due to the power play inherent in the organization . This was seen by his decision to refer Pakistan's intervention (' invasion') in disputed Kashmir to the UN Security Council in January 1948 . The United Kingdom, which was hoping to avoid being seen as unfriendly to a Muslim state after the creation of Israel, used pressure tactics on its allies France, Canada and the US to support the Pakistani viewpoint that Kashmir's accession to India was disputable and had to be put to the test of a plebiscite . Nehru's hope that the UN would unconditionally instruct Pakistan to vacate the one - third portion of Kashmir that the Pakistani tribesmen and army had occupied fell flat in the face of geopolitical manoeuvrings and cross-issue linkage . To this day, Indian strategic commentators and critics of Nehru bemoan his cardinal mistake of taking the Kashmir dispute to a UN that was packed with pro-Pakistani partisan powers . According to columnist Brahma Chellaney,' Nehru did not appreciate that the UN was an institution of power politics, not an impartial police force' . As if a double reminder were needed that India was small fry in a UN dominated by crafty Great Powers divided into two ideological camps, New Delhi was disappointed to find that Security Council members the US, United Kingdom and France tried to prevent it from forcibly absorbing the Portuguese colony of Goa in 1961 . But for the Soviet veto in favour of India, Goa could have become enmeshed in another Kashmir - like stalemate for decades, buffeted by the changing winds of Great Power alignments and preferences that were paralysing and hijacking the UN . </P> <P> Overall the period from 1947 - 1962 was marked by India's active interest in all UN activities under the leadership of V.K. Krishna Menon who was the Indian Ambassador to the United Nations from 1952 - 1962 . Indian leadership and peacekeeping roles in the UN brought it considerable recognition and global standing . </P> <P> India's defeat in the Sino - Indian War came as a grave shock in comparison to its global aspirations and recognition . Large scale hostilities and military reverses dealt a shattering blow to its self - confidence and pride . India was obliged to turn towards the west for military and political support . Following the conflict with China, India became involved in two wars with Pakistan and entered a period of political instability, economic stagnation, food shortages and near - famine conditions . India's role diminished in the UN which came both as a result of its image and a deliberate decision by the post-Nehru political leadership to adopt a low profile at the UN and speak only on vital Indian interests . This change in policy was implemented during the 1965 debate on Kashmir in the Security Council when Indian Foreign Minister Swaran Singh dramatically stormed out of the session in response to the intemperate language of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan's Foreign Minister . In his book "India's Changing Role in the United Nations" Stanley Kochanek shows how' bilateralism became the guiding principle of Indian foreign policy', relegating the UN to just an' arena for maintaining such contacts' . Further the Soviet Union's backing became far more important than a slow and indecisive UN Security Council when India obtained its greatest strategic victory by breaking up Pakistan into two and carving out independent Bangladesh in 1971 . </P>

When was india a member of security council