UN Security Council Needs Expansion

India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj has been consistently bringing home the point in the international body that it needs comprehensive reforms. It goes to her credit that she has become the recognisable voice of India at the UN. Her consistent advocacy for the reforms and hence expansion of the Security Council is indeed the need of the times. Addressing the Inter-Governmental Negotiations(IGN) meeting on Security Council Reform on Co-Chairs Elements Paper, she underlined the need for a reformed Security Council that better reflects the geographical and developmental diversity of the United Nations(UN) today. It is pertinent to mention that India has been at the forefront in terms of leading the Global South, demanding reforms in the UN and seeking a place as a permanent member in the 15-Member UN Security Council (UNSC).Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj has made it clear that India is in favour of expansion of the UN Security Council membership in both permanent and non –permanent categories. Stating that this is the only way to achieve genuine reform of the UNSC. Thus making it legitimate, representative, responsive and effective. Giving the rationale for the reform and expansion of the UNSC she said that a Security Council where voices of developing countries and unrepresented regions, including Africa, Latin America and the vast majority of Asia and Pacific, also find their due place at the horseshoe table. And for this, an expansion of the council in both categories of membership is absolutely essential. The present UN Security Council (UNSC) has five permanent members (the US, the UK, China, France and Russia) and 10 non-permanent members. She underlined that some member states kept pushing the argument that expansion in the permanent categories of the UNSC would be “undemocratic.” Demolishing this false narrative she said “We fail to understand how something that is clearly being called for by the majority of the membership would be undemocratic. We cannot continue to be hostage to a minority in the IGN.” This must be taken as an apparent reference to countries like Pakistan, which has been opposing the expansion in permanent categories of the UNSC. Indeed time has come to counter the international conspiracy to keep India at bay as far the permanent membership of the UNSC is concerned. India has witnessed the role of China that has circumvented the UN stand on the declared and blacklisted radical terrorists and their organisations patronised by Pakistan. On the question of terrorism there has been double standards when it concerns Indian interests. Having the world’s largest population India has every right to seek protection of its international rights. That too when it is an emerging leader in economy and in terms of contribution towards world peace. China has been taking India for granted when it comes to decimating terrorism. Not only that, its stance at the UNSC has helped Pakistan to continue its patronisation of terrorism against India in Jammu and Kashmir. It is a well-known fact now that China is in the UNSC with the blessings of India’s the first Indian Prime Minister paved its way to it. Time has proved that it was a wrong decision to trust China. Assertive India at the UNSC is the need of the times when the global order is witnessing a paradigm shift. India cannot depend upon others to safeguard its rights. It has to stand for itself. Time has proved it more than once. India has to be included as a permanent member in the UNSC to create a balance of power.