Forty years of economic development : un agencies and India / edited by Malcolm S. Adiseshiah

"1986 represents the fortieth year of the founding of the United Nations. It is also the year when the United Nations came under attack by one of the found ing members, the United States of America, for its large and growing budget, for the direction of its develop ment activities in the UNDP, in UNCTAD, etc. It is, therefore, necessary to look at the functioning of the United Nations system in the broad area of economic development, parti cularly the development of the develop ing countries....

"India has been a founder member of the United Nations and its other agencies. India signed the Charter of the United Nations, when it was founded in 1945, even though it was at that time under the British rule.... This did not, however, prevent the Indian delegation from participating fully in the dis cussion and negotiations leading to the founding of [its agencies]."

The various contributors to this book have presented their views in a lucid and forthright manner on the issue of the long-standing connection between India and the UN system and its various agencies. The amalgamation of their views brings out the fact that the UN system is essential to the develop ment of the developing countries.