New York: Tareq Albanai, Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the UN and Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN), has said that he is in favor of India joining the UN Security Council. He described India as a “main player on the world stage” and emphasized that India would be a candidate if the council were to be expanded.

He remembered his trip to India with his co-chair, Alex Marschik, at a press conference on the progress of the UN General Assembly Intergovernmental Negotiation on Security Council Reform on Thursday. The Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council reform are co-chaired by Kuwait and Austria.

“I had the pleasure last year, as I did this with my distinguished co-chair, Axel Marchik, to actually visit India and have a conversation there at the highest level,” Albanai said in response to a question about what must be done to guarantee that UNSC reform occurs. And as India is clearly a major actor on the global scene today, the aim of this revamped council must be representative. However, 193 nations are members, correct?

Additionally, the consideration is representative of all members of the United Nations. Therefore, India will undoubtedly be a candidate in that and will be subject to the decision of the broader membership if it is decided that the council should be expanded to anywhere between 21 and 27 members,” he said.

Earlier on April 1, the French Embassy in India said that it will concentrate on the need for UNSC reform to provide India a permanent seat when France takes over the monthly leadership of the UN Security Council.

The Embassy said in a post on X that it would direct conversations into topics related to international peace, security, and humanitarian effects as part of France’s monthly leadership of the Security Council. France will underscore the necessity for a UNSC reform that would provide India a permanent place at the high table, the Embassy said.

The French Embassy in India said, X: “Today, France takes over as the @UN Security Council’s monthly president. It will guide important conversations on world peace and security with an emphasis on the effects on humanitarian issues. France reiterates the necessity for a UNSC reform that also grants India a permanent seat in order to represent the modern world.

Notably, in order to properly represent the concerns of the developing world, India has long aimed for a permanent membership in the Security Council. The international community’s backing has helped the country’s mission acquire pace.

Ten non-permanent members chosen for two-year terms and five permanent members with veto power make up the 15 member nations that make up the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
The United States, France, Russia, China, and the United Kingdom are the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. The UNGA elects the non-permanent members of the UN Security Council to two-year terms.