NEW DELHI: As India begins its two-year term from Friday as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), its key priorities will be counter-terrorism and maritime security for global peace and stability. India will hold UNSC's presidency in August.

India has a clear position on combatting international terrorism by providing an effective response, addressing the abuse of information and communication technology (ICT) by terrorists, disrupting their nexus with sponsors and transnational organised criminal entities, stemming the flow of terror finance and strengthening normative and operative frameworks for greater coordination with other multilateral forums, persons familiar with India's priorities at UNSC said.

Tunisia, which will preside over UNSC in January, has chosen to hold an open debate on the challenges for the African continent. Tunisia is also organising a debate on the threats to international peace and security by acts of terrorism to commemorate 20 years of the adoption of resolution 1373 in 2001. India will back Tunisian agenda.

At UNSC, India will be guided by the five priorities for a reformed multilateral system. They are new opportunities for progress, effective response to international terrorism, reforming multilateral systems, comprehensive approach to international peace and security and technology with a human touch.

India is one of the largest contributors of peacekeeping troops to the UN and it will seek to leverage its strengths in ICT to improve peacekeeping efforts around the world.