New Delhi exposes efforts to limit representation at UN Security Council

(MENAFN) India has urged for significant reforms to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), emphasizing the need to reflect the current geopolitical landscape and improve representation from underrepresented regions. Speaking at a meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiations framework (IGN), P. Harish, India’s permanent representative to the UN, stressed that reform is necessary to make the UN more responsive to global challenges. Representing the G4 nations—India, Brazil, Germany, and Japan—Harish argued that countries opposing genuine reforms are on the wrong side of history.

The G4’s proposed reform model calls for an increase in UNSC membership from 15 to 25 or 26, with 11 permanent members and 14 or 15 non-permanent members. The G4 highlighted that merely expanding the non-permanent membership does not address the current imbalances, particularly in the permanent members category, which they believe needs a more equitable geographic representation. The proposal includes new permanent members from Africa (two), the Asia-Pacific region (two), Latin America and the Caribbean (one), and Western Europe (one).

Harish also criticized proposals to use religion as a criterion for inclusion in the Security Council, reaffirming that regional representation has always been the foundation for UNSC membership.

France, holding the UNSC presidency this month, has shown support for permanent Indian membership and also backed the idea of two permanent seats for African nations, in addition to permanent seats for Brazil, India, Germany, and Japan. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has pledged to ensure the inclusion of two African permanent seats before the end of his tenure in 2026.

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