India has called for the expansion of the United Nations Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories of membership.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday made a renewed push for expansion of the UN Security Council and reforms in all global institutions to reflect world’s “new realities”, as the G20 summit drew to a close with the US, Russia and France praising the meeting outcomes under Indian presidency. PM Modi was making his concluding remarks at the final session of the two-day G20 summit.
Earlier this month, the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj asserted that the expansion is vital so that the developing countries and unrepresented regions find their due place at the UN.
“What we need is a Security Council that better reflects the geographical and developmental diversity of the United Nations today. A Security Council where voices of developing countries and unrepresented regions find their due place at this horseshoe table. For this, an expansion of the council in both categories of membership is absolutely essential. This is the only way to bring the council’s composition and decision-making dynamics in line with contemporary geopolitical realities,” said Kamboj.
“If countries are truly invested in making the council more accountable and more credible, we call on them to come out openly and support a clear pathway to achieve this reform in a time-bound manner through the only established process. As the threats to international peace and security evolve, so must his council,” added the Permanent Representative of India to the UN.
In July, the United Kingdom had also called for the expansion of the UN Security Council’s permanent seats to include India, Brazil, Germany and Japan as well as African representation, underlining that it is high time the powerful UN body entered the 2020s.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, and approving any changes to the UN Charter. Its powers as outlined in the United Nations Charter include establishing peacekeeping operations, enacting international sanctions, and authorizing military action. The UNSC is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions on member states.
The Security Council consists of fifteen members, of which five are permanent: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. These were the great powers that were the victors of World War II (or their successor states). Permanent members can veto (block) any substantive Security Council resolution, including those on the admission of new member states to the United Nations or nominees for the office of Secretary-General. The other ten members are elected on a regional basis for a term of two years. The body’s presidency rotates monthly among its members.
